The clinicopathologic significance of p53 and p21 expression in the surgical management of lingual squamous cell carcinoma

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinicopathologic signific ance of p53 and p21 expression in lingual squamous cell carcinomas. Immunoh istochemical staining was performed with p53 and p2l monoclonal antibodies on surgical specimens from 87 patients who underwent primary surgical treat ment for lingual carcinoma between 1976 and 1996. We found positive express ion of p53 in 45 (52%) of 87 cases and of p21 in 49 (56%) of 87 cases. Ther e was no correlation of p53 and p21 expression with cancer stage, T stage, nodal metastasis, and tumor grade. Univariate analysis revealed that p21 ex pression, tumor stage, T stage, and nodal stage were significant prognostic factors for survival. However, only p21 expression and tumor stage were si gnificant independent prognostic factors for survival in a multivariate Cox regression analysis. Overexpression of p21 but not p53 has prognostic valu e for survival in the surgical treatment of lingual carcinomas. The combina tion of stage with p21 expression is recommended for evaluation of prognosi s and for management planning.