BACKGROUND: Squamous cell carcinomas of upper aerodigestive tract are tumors with heterogeneous biological behaviour. The aim of present study is to assess whether any correlation exists between immunohistochemical expression of Ki67, PCNA and P53 markers and clinicopathologic parameters. METHODS: Immunohistochemical determination of Ki67, PCNA and P53 antigens in fixated and paraffin-embedded tumour especimens from 53 patients with squamous cell carcinoma in different primary locations of upper aerodigestive tract. RESULTS: The markers had high evidence average rates with 46,5% for Ki67, 66,5% for PCNA and 36,5% for P53. There was neither correlation of Ki67 and PCNA evidence nor with TNM staging nor with malignancy degree. The expression of Ki67 demonstrated correlation with the expression of PCNA (p = 0,037). The same ocurred to PCNA and the number of mitoses (p = 0,001). CONCLUSIONS: According to these results, it has been concluded that the determination of immunoreactivity of Ki67 and PCNA proliferation markers is an accurate and quantitative method which may provide prognostic information.
Squamous cell carcinoma; Tumour markers; P53protein; Ki67; Proliferating cell nuclear antigen
