The results indicate that the overexpression of p63 in oral precancerous lesions and SCC in betel-quid chewers in Sri Lanka may be a useful marker for oral precancerous lesions.
To gain further information on the role of p63 expression in human tumours, we used quantitative real-time RT-PCR to study individual p63 isoforms in squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (SCCHN).
p63 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma: evidence for a role of TA-p63 down-regulation in tumorigenesis and lack of prognostic implications of p63 immunoreactivity.
Our study indicates that (1) p63 and p73 expression may represent an early event in HNSC tumorigenesis, (2) the lack of correlation between p73 or p63 and p53 expression suggests an independent and/or compensatory functional role, (3) p73 expression may play a part in HNSC progression, and (4) p73 and p63 may function as oncogenes in the development of these tumors.