Objectives: The present study examines expression of p53 protein and its association with clinical parameters in locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix. Design: Retrospective clinical and pathological study. Setting: Department of Pathology, Faculty Women’s Hospital Brno, Czech Republic, Department of Cellular and Molecular Oncology, Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute, Brno, Czech Repu- blic. Methods: The expression of p53 protein was immunohistochemically explored in 48 clinically advanced squamous cell cervical carcinomas. Results: Prior to radiotherapy treatment, p53 was detected in 41 (87.3%) cases but only 21 (43,5%) cases exceeded 3% of positive nuclei. One case showed a diffuse staining pattern. The patients with p53 staining in more than 3% of nuclei had more favourable prognosis with better response to radiotherapy when compared to negative and/or weakly positive cases. The occurrence of distant metastases did not differ between these groups. Conclusion: This data support the findings that mutation of p53 is usually not involved in the genesis of cervical squamous cell malignancy. A subset of cervical cancer may exist with elevated level of p53 protein, which retain the p53 tumour supressor function but exhibit genotoxic stress. These tumours may respond better to radiotherapy.

        Key words: p53 protein, squamous cell carcinoma, uterine cervix, prognosis