No association between p53-overexpression and polarographically measured tumor oxygenation in patients with head and neck carcinomas

Purpose: Clinical investigation of a potential relationship between the pol arographically measured tumor oxygenation and the p53 status in patients wi th squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Patients and Methods: In 99 patients with mostly advanced, histologically p roven squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck we estimated the classic al tumor parameters (TNM stage, histological grading) the immunohistochemic al p53-overexpression (DO-7) and the tumor oxygenation status (Eppendorf pO (2) Histograph). The tumor volume and the hemoglobin concentration were eva luated simultaneously. Results: No statistically significant difference could be detected between immunohistological p53-positive (p53 greater than or equal to 10% stained c ells) and p53-negative tumors (p53 < 10% stained cells) regarding both the median pO(2) and the relative frequency of values less than or equal to 5 m m Hg. Moreover, no statistically relevant differences could be seen between both p53-groups considering the hemoglobin concentration, the TNM stage, t he histological grading and the tumor volume. Conclusion: Our data imply that there is no association between p53-overexp ression and tumor hypoxia in head and neck carcinomas. However. this is not necessarily in contradiction to experimental or clinical data that confirm ed a relationship between hypoxia and p53-mediated increased malignancy of tumor cells in ether tumor entities. The comparable oxygenation status of p 53-positive and p53-negative tumors in our study is associated with an anal ogous clinical tumor aggressiveness of both groups. That could he caused by a hypoxia related but p53-independent selection of tumor cells with a more malignant phenotype in head and neck carcinomas. However, further research is needed to prove this possible relationship.