In addition, the majority of results from studies with adjusted analyses on the prognostic value of p16 indicated that p16 expression status could be an independent prognostic marker for OS in women diagnosed with VSCC, and the same pattern was seen for disease specific survival (DSS).
The aim of the study was to evaluate the expressions of Serpin A1 in LS, premalignant vulvar lesions, and vSCC using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and serum analysis, and to compare Serpin A1 stainings to the tumor markers p53 and p16.
We conducted a retrospective chart review of women treated with neoadjuvant or definitive chemoradiation (CRT) therapy from 2000 to 2016 for VSCC. p16 stain-positivity was defined as diffuse strong "block" immunoreactivity within invasive tumor.
Immunohistochemical PD-L1 expression was evaluated in 84 vSCCs with previously defined status of p16 and DNA-HPV, infiltration of immune cells: CD8+, CD4+, FOXP3+, CD56+, CD68+, and GZB+ cells.
In conclusion, histological criteria do not allow differentiation between HPV-associated and -independent VSCC. p16 Alone is a clinically easy strategy to determine HPV status in VSCC.
Our results suggest an increase in the immunohistochemical expression of p16 protein in young women with squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva, and a possible association with a low expression of p53.