The expression of p53, c-erbB-1 and c-erbB-2 molecules and their correlation with prognostic markers in patients with head and neck tumors

• Published in: Cancer letters 2002-10, Vol.184 (2), p.223-230
• Main Authors: Khademi, Bijan, Shirazi, Farzaneh Mohammadalizadeh, Vasei, Mohammad, Doroudchi, Mehrnoosh, Gandomi, Behrouz, Modjtahedi, Helmout, Pezeshki, Abdul Mohammad, Ghaderi, Abbas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; c-erbB-1; c-erbB-2; Carcinogens; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - pathology; Colleges & universities; ErbB Receptors - analysis; Female; Head and Neck Neoplasms - pathology; Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Iranian; Laryngeal Neoplasms - pathology; Larynx; Lymphatic Metastasis; Male; Medical prognosis; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Otorhinolaryngology (head neck, general aspects and miscellaneous); Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; p53; Predictive Value of Tests; Prognosis; Protein expression; Proteins; Receptor, ErbB-2 - analysis; Tongue Neoplasms - pathology; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 - analysis; Tumors
• ISSN: 0304-3835; 1872-7980
• DOI: 10.1016/S0304-3835(02)00242-2

Molecular prognostic and predictive factors have extensively been studied in different cancers during the past decades, some of which were found to be useful in diagnosis, follow up or even treatment of some malignant tumors. To assess the significance of c-erbB-1, c-erbB-2 and p53 expression in head and neck tumors among Iranian patients and their correlation with known prognostic factors, samples from 53 patients with squamous cell carcinomas of larynx and tongue were studied immunohistochemically. Strong immunoreactivity of c-erbB-1, c-erbB-2 and p53 was observed in 37 (70%), 40 (76%) and 37 (70%) of cases, respectively. The coexpression of these molecules was detected in 27 (50.9%) samples. Neither histological grading nor nodal involvement revealed correlation with c-erbB-1 and/or c-erbB-2 expression. No correlation was found between p53 expression and histological grade. However, a significant positive association was observed between p53 expression and nodal involvement. This data, which is the first report on head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) in Iran, indicates the significance of p53 protein expression which may result from p53 tumor suppressor gene inactivation in lymph node metastasis of HNSCC among Iranian patients.