Histopathological Analysis and Role of p16INK4a as a Diagnostic Marker in Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

INTRODUCTION: Uterine cervical cancer is the most common cancer cause of death in the developing countries. Human papilloma virus (HPV) infection is the most important risk factor for cervical intraepithelial neoplasms and invasive cervical cancer. HPV oncogene expression and evidence of its deregulation can be monitored through direct detection of the cellular protein p16.p16 (INK4a) immunostaining shows great promise as a marker of lesions associated with high-risk HPV, and it may assist in improving the reproducibility of diagnoses in cervical dysplastic and reactive lesions. AIM AND OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence,age distribution, histopathological features of uterine cervical neoplasms and observe the frequency and distribution of p16INK4a protein expression as a diagnostic marker in uterine cervical neoplasms using immunohistochemical staining and relating its expression with the different histological grades of uterine cervical neoplasms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study, analyses 608 cases of uterine cervical neoplasms diagnosed in Thanjavur medical college during the one year period from January 2013 to December 2013.Among which 60 cases of uterine cervical lesions selected randomly for p16INK4a immunohistochemical expression by immunoperoxidase method. RESULTS: 1. Uterine cervical neoplasms accounts for 19% of total number of cervical biopsies.The mean age for cervical intraepithelial neoplasms is 39.8 years and cervical carcinoma is 52.61 years. 2. CIN 1 constitutes majority (77%) of total cervical intraepithelial neoplasms cases.Squamous cell carcinoma constitutes themost common subtype (95.8%) in the total cervical carcinoma cases. 3. p16ink4aimmunoreactivity waspositive in 100% of all cervical neoplasms cases included in the study (p