Immunohistochemical Study of p53 and Ki-67 in Benign and Malignant Prostatic Lesions

Introduction Prostate adenocarcinoma is a significant health concern with variable clinical outcomes. While markers such as serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) are used for screening, these have limitations in predicting tumor behavior. The identification of reliable prognostic biomarkers is crucial for guiding treatment decisions. This study aimed to evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of p53 and Ki-67 in prostatic lesions and correlate their expression with Gleason grade. Methodology This cross-sectional study was conducted on 50 prostate specimens, comprising 25 cases of Prostate adenocarcinoma and 25 cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining for p53 and Ki-67 was performed on all cases. The expression of these markers was then correlated with the histological grade (using the Gleason grading system) and preoperative serum PSA levels. Results Patients with prostate adenocarcinoma presented at a slightly older age than those with BPH. Serum PSA levels showed wide variability among patients with carcinoma and did not correlate significantly with Gleason grade. While p53 expression was observed in a subset of Prostate adenocarcinomas, p53 is expressed but lacks significant clinicopathological correlation. In contrast, the Ki-67 proliferation index was significantly higher in prostate adenocarcinoma than in BPH (p<0.05) and demonstrated a significant positive correlation with increasing Gleason scores, indicating its value as a marker of tumor proliferation, poor differentiation, and aggressive biological behavior. Conclusion The present study demonstrates that the expression of Ki-67, a marker of cellular proliferation, is significantly increased in malignant lesions when compared with benign lesions. Tumors showing positivity for p53 and Ki-67 on biopsy are likely to exhibit aggressive biological behavior and may therefore serve as independent prognostic indicators in cases with a higher risk of metastasis. However, further prospective studies incorporating long-term clinical follow-up and detailed molecular genetic analyses are required to elucidate the biological role of these immunohistochemical markers and to determine their true prognostic value in patients with prostate adenocarcinoma.