Proliferating cell nuclear antigen in laryngeal cancer

The expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen in paraffin sections from 154 cases of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma were examined. There was significant difference in PCNA expression between the control group and cancer patients (p < 0.001). The mean score of PCNA was higher in patients with poor prognosis than in patients with satisfactory outcome after treatment (p < 0.05). There was no significant correlation between the PCNA count and the patient's age and sex, T and N stage and site of the tumour. Univariate analysis revealed that the PCNA score correlated with the patients' survival rates. In multivariate analysis the prognostic value of PCNA was on the statistical borderline (p = 0.049). In our study clinical features like N and T status had a more important influence on survival rate. Nevertheless it appears that the immunohistological examination of PCNA in paraffin section could be a complementary prognostic tool for laryngeal carcinoma. PCNA expression may also be a valuable tool for differentiating malignant from benign laryngeal epithelium.