Lack of prognostic significance for p53-overexpression and Ki-67-immunoreactivity in oral T1-2 squamous cell carcinomas

Previous investigations on squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) of the head and neck region have failed to reveal a significant correlation between p53-overexpression or Ki-67-immunoreactivity and survival. Contrary to these studies we restricted the evaluation to T1-2 SCC from the oral cavity. Immunohistochemically identified p53-overexpression was observed in 69% of the tumours, and Ki-67-positive cancer cells ranged from 12 to 83% in individual rumours (median 37%). No significant correlation was found between p53-overexpression or Ki-67-positivity and survival. Although the degree of tumour differentiation and the pattern of invasion correlated with prognosis (p=0.0387 and 0.0319 respectively), these associations were too weak to be used as prognostic markers.