Abstract
Growth activity of cancer cells in oral squamous cell carcinoma plays a key role in the biological behavior of tumor tissue. Immunohistochemical examination of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is thought to be a simple method to investigate proliferating activity of tumor cells. We studied the expression of PCNA in oral squamous cell carcinoma with special attention to histological (mode of invasion, differentiation) and clinical findings (TNM classification, clinical stage) . The cases with grade 4C and 4D (mode of invasion) tended to show a high level of PCNA-positive cells. In addition, well differentiated cases reveled a low level of PCNA-positive cells. No apparent relationship between the ratio of PCNA-positive cells and clinical findings was detected.
Immunohistochemical study for PCNA can demonstrate the proliferating activity of oral squamous cell carcinomas, especially in the degree of malignancy.
