Objectives: To evaluate p63 expression in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and its prognostic significance. Methods: p63 expression was examined by immunohistochemistry and scored in 127 patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas. Results: Sixty-two cases had scored 3, sixty had scored 2, four had scored 1 and one case did not show any expression (48.8, 47.2, 3.1 and 0.8%, respectively). Overall survival was 73.9% at 24 months and 59.5% at 60 months. The disease-free survival was 77.2 and 75.1%, and the disease-specific survival was 79 and 67% at 24 and 60 months, respectively. Uni- and multivariate analysis identified that decreased immunoexpression of protein p63 was a statistically significant factor for the risk of recurrence and death by cancer. Conclusions: p63 expression was highly prevalent in laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas, and its underexpression was correlated with a worse prognosis.

Aos meus queridos pais, Bartolomeu e Conceição, que com seu amor, dedicação e princípios morais balizaram minha vida pessoal e deram o suporte para a minha vida profissional.À minha querida e amada esposa, Tatiana, que com seu imenso amor me fortaleceu e incentivou-me a cada momento.À nossa filha Helena, fonte de inspiração e a representação do maior amor que pode existir.Aos queridos tios, padrinhos e amigos, Ana e Raimundo, pelo apoio incondicional em todos os momentos.

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Objective (1) To evaluate the expression of p63 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (2) To analyze its prognostic significance. Methods p63 expression was examined in 127 patients submitted to total laryngectomy between 1998 and 2000 (111 male/16 female; 69 Caucasian/58 non-Caucasian; 36- to 93-years-old, median: 58 years). 19 tumors were glottic, 16 supraglottic and 92 transglottic(15%, 13% and 72%, respectively). Two cases were stage I(1.6%), 21 were stage II(16.5%), 82 were stage III(64.6%) and 22 were stage IV(17.3%). 96 patients(75.6%) received adjuvant radiotherapy. The immunohistochemical analysis of the expression of p63 included the following scores: 0: no immunostaining; 1: immunostaining in <30% of neoplastics cells; 2: immunostaining in >30% and <70% of neoplastics cells; and 3: immunostaining in >70% of neoplastics cells. Results 62 cases had score 3; 60 had score 2; 4 had score 1; and one case did not show any expression (48.8%, 47.2%, 3.1% and 0.8%). Overall survival was 73.9% at 24 months and 59.5% at 60 months. The disease-free survival was 77.2% and 75.1%, and the disease-specific survival was 79% and 67% at 24 and 60 months respectively. Uni and multivariate analysis identified that decreased immunoexpression of protein p63 and the involvement of the hypopharynx were statistically significant factors for the risk of recurrence and death by cancer. Conclusions p63 expression was highly prevalent in laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas in the present study. Decreased p63 protein expression was statistically associated to the recurrence and death.

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