A cross-sectional study of p53 expression in patients with squamous cell carcinoma cervix: A hospital-based study

Context: Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women in India and the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide. The p53 is a tumor suppressor gene. Overexpression of p53 is detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and it indicates a worsened prognosis in some malignancies. Aims: The present study was undertaken to assess the expression of p53 by IHC in normal cervical epithelium and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cervix. The role of p53 as a potential biomarker by correlating p53 expression with clinico-pathological parameters was also studied. Settings and Design: Cross-sectional study. Subjects and Methods: A total of 50 cases of cervical biopsy or hysterectomy specimens of SCC cervix and fifty cases of hysterectomy specimens for other gynecologic causes were included in the study. IHC was used to study the p53 expression in normal and neoplastic cervical epithelium. The p53 positivity was assessed by using a semi quantitative method in SCC cervix. The p53 expression was correlated with various clinico-pathological parameters. Statistical Analysis Used: Data collected was analyzed using appropriate statistical test. Results: All the fifty cases (100%) of SCC cervix showed positive p53 expression. The normal cervical epithelium in 90% cases was p53 negative and 10% showed basal layer positivity. A statistically significant correlation was seen between p53 score and menopausal status (P = 0.010). Conclusions: Overexpression of p53 is suggestive of high grade of tumor