Expression of p16 in Cases of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Study of 100 Cases

Background: Oral and oropharyngeal cancers, mainly squamous cell carcinomas, are often linked to human papillomavirus (HPV).The expression of p16 can indicate a better prognosis and serves as a useful surrogate marker for HPV infection.The Lewis/modified Lewis criteria for p16 grading can identify individuals with better overall survival. Materials and methods:The study included 100 cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma.Histological characteristics were graded, and p16 expression was assessed using the Lewis/modified Lewis criteria.The results were analyzed and evaluated.Results: Out of the 100 cases, 11 showed positive expression for p16.Positive expression was more prevalent among middle-aged male patients.The majority of p16-positive cases were well differentiated, with the tongue, gingivobuccal sulcus, and oropharyngeal region being the most common sites.A prolonged history of smoking or tobacco use was associated with higher levels of p16 positivity.However, p16 expression did not show a significant correlation with the depth of invasion or the worst pattern of invasion (WPOI) of the tumor. Conclusion:HPV infection plays a pivotal role in a subset of oral squamous cell carcinoma cases.Due to its affordability and ease of use, p16 immunohistochemistry should be routinely performed in histologically diagnosed cases, as p16-positive tumors are associated with a better prognosis.