Peroxiredoxin I expression in oral cancer: a potential new tumor marker

This study investigates the applicability of the novel antioxidant protein, peroxiredoxin (Prx) I as a marker for tumor status in oral squamous cell c arcinoma (SCC). Samples from 53 patients with SCC in the oral cavity were e xamined by immunohistochemistry. Correlations between the expression level of Prx I and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), the clinical featur es of tumors, and their histopathological classifications were statisticall y analyzed. Cases exhibiting low Prx I expression level included significan tly more with larger tumor mass cases (T-category, P = 0.004), positive lym ph node metastasis (N-category, P = 0.015), advanced stage (P = 0.002), and poorly differentiated cells (P = 0.020). There was no significant differen ce between Prx I expression and the other indices. (C) 2000 Published by El sevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.