Abstract | OBJECTIVES: Although human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is considered as a favorable prognostic factor in oropharyngeal cancer, the prognosis of HPV-associated tonsil cancer has rarely been studied especially when surgery was the main treatment. In this study, the authors investigated the effect of p16 over-expression ( HPV infection) on tonsil cancer prognosis according to the type of treatment, HPV presence by PCR, and expression of p53 and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) by immunohistochemistry (IHC). METHODS: Medical records of 33 tonsil cancer patients were reviewed. Using formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tumor specimens, PCR-based genotyping of HPV and IHC of p16, p53 and EGFR were performed. The effects of HPV presence and the expression of IHC markers were analyzed on the recurrence-free survival. Five-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates were evaluated according to p16 expression status. RESULTS: An over-expression of p16 was observed in 27 (81.9%) out of 33 cases. Surgery-based treatment was provided for 21 (63.6%) patients. There was no association between p16 immunoreactivity and HPV presence, nor with p53 and EGFR expression. Regardless of main treatment modalities, five-year DFS did not differ by p16 expression status (P=0.051). However, over-expression of p16 was associated with a lower recurrence in multivariable analyses (P=0.046). CONCLUSION: Regardless of main treatment modalities, an over-expression of p16 ( HPV infection) is associated with a lower recurrence in tonsil cancers. However it is not associated with simple HPV presence or p53 and EGFR over-expression.
|
Authors | Tae Wook Kim, Sung Yong Choi, Young Hyeh Ko, Chung-Hwan Baek, Young-Ik Son |
Journal | Clinical and experimental otorhinolaryngology
(Clin Exp Otorhinolaryngol)
Vol. 5
Issue 4
Pg. 207-12
(Dec 2012)
ISSN: 2005-0720 [Electronic] Korea (South) |
PMID | 23205225
(Publication Type: Journal Article)
|