ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Transforming growth factor(TGF-alpha) is a polypeptide which is structurally related to epidermal growth factor(EGF) and binds to the epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR). TGF-alpha utilizes EGFR to increase the activation of tyrosine kinase to involve in signal transduction of cellular growth. TGF-alpha synthesis occurs in a variety of neoplastic cells. p53 is a tumor-suppressor gene. There is a strong corrleation between immunohistochemical p53 positivity and p53 mutations in lung and laryngeal carcinoma. PCNA is expressed by cycling cells in late G1, S and G2 phase, and may be used to indicate the degree of cellular proliferation. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether TGF-alpha, p53 and PCNA can be used as an indicator to malignant transformation of dysplasia in larynx or not. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors investigated the TGF-alpha score, p53 immunoreactivity and PCNA proliferating index by immunohistochemical staining in 30 laryngeal dysplasia from 1992 to 1995. RESULTS: Dysplasia with malignant transformation showed values of 5.46 for TGF-alpha, 29.2 for PCNA proliferating index and 37.5 for p53 immunoreactivity. Dysplasia without malignant transformation showed values of 1.88 for TGF-alpha, 8.6 for PCNA proliferating index and 4.5 for p53 immunoreactivity. Conclusions: The results suggest that TGF-alpha, p53 and PCNA could be an useful indicator to predict the progression of laryngeal dysplasia.