OBJECTIVE: To study the association of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) with the biological characteristics and clinical behavior of hypopharyngeal carcinoma and with the prognosis of the malignancy. METHODS: SP-immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expression of PCNA in 48 cancer tissue specimens and 15 specimens of the adjacent tissue of primary hypopharyngeal carcinomas. The number of PCNA-positive cells was represented by proliferating index (PI) of the antigen. RESULTS: PCNA expression was correlated with the clinical stage, histological grade and clinical recurrence of hypopharyngeal carcinoma as well as the prognosis of the patients, but was not significantly related with the tumor location or the presence of metastasis to the cervical lymph nodes. CONCLUSION: PCNA protein expression may help evaluate the malignancy of hypopharyngeal carcinoma and make prognostic judgement of the patients.
OBJECTIVE: To study the association of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) with the biological characteristics and clinical behavior of hypopharyngeal carcinoma and with the prognosis of the malignancy. METHODS: SP-immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expression of PCNA in 48 cancer tissue specimens and 15 specimens of the adjacent tissue of primary hypopharyngeal carcinomas. The number of PCNA-positive cells was represented by proliferating index (PI) of the antigen. RESULTS:PCNA expression was correlated with the clinical stage, histological grade and clinical recurrence of hypopharyngeal carcinoma as well as the prognosis of the patients, but was not significantly related with the tumor location or the presence of metastasis to the cervical lymph nodes. CONCLUSION:PCNA protein expression may help evaluate the malignancy of hypopharyngeal carcinoma and make prognostic judgement of the patients.