THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXPRESSION OF THE CYCLIN-DEPENDENT KINASE INHIBITOR p21 AND MUTATION OF p53 TUMOR SUPRESSOR GENE AND THE SURVIVAL AND PROGNOSTIC FACTORS IN THE SQUAMOUS CELL LARYNX CARCINOMA

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the expression of the p21 cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CDKI) and p53 tumor suppressor gene of the larynx carcinoma for prognostic effects and survival. Material and Method: We analyzed expression of CDKI p21 and p53 protein presence in squamous cell carcinomas of the larynx in 20 male cases, retrospectively. The survivals of followed patients were determined and the expression of the CDKI p21 and mutation of p53 tumor suppressor gene was detected using immunohistochemistry. The relationship between irnmunohistochemical staining with survival, clinical stage, tumor localization and size, histological stage, lymph node metastasis and extracapsular extension were evaluated. Results: Twenty male patients had a mean age of 56.9 (min-max, 42-70) years. In immunohistochemical analysis, we found 10 patients (50%) positive for p53 and 18 patients (90%) positive for p21. Conclusion: We found the expression of p21 higher than p53 in larynx carcinoma (p<0.05). No correlation was observed between p53 and p21 expression and tumor location, stage, histopathological grade, lymph node metastasis and extracapsular extension (p>0.05). Further studies should be undertaken to evaluate whether the assessment of p21 and p53 expression have clinical significance in larynx carcinoma.