Progressive p53 Expression in the Histological Spectrum of Cervical Neoplasia

Background The development of cervical cancer is significantly influenced by the dysregulation of the tumor suppressor p53. While TP53 mutations are frequently present in HPV-independent malignancies, as evidenced by abnormal immunohistochemistry (IHC) patterns, E6-mediated degradation in HPV-associated illness reduces p53 function. This study examined p53 expression in a Nigerian cohort with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) to elucidate its function in lesion progression. Methods Two hundred cervical specimens (CIN I–III and SCC) that were archived as formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) were recovered. For histological confirmation, sections (3 µm) were stained with hematoxylin–eosin (H&E). Then, p53 IHC was performed using the avidin–biotin complex method with microwave antigen retrieval. Proportion and intensity were combined to create a semi-quantitative score (0–6) for the expression. Types: low (1–3), high (4–6), and negative (0). In SPSS v16, associations with age and grade were examined using χ². Results High levels of p53 expression were seen in 60.9% of SCC and 46.6% of CIN. CIN I (20.9%), CIN II (70.2%), CIN III (46.3%), and SCC (60.9%) are the grades. There was a significant correlation (p < 0.05) between expression and lesion severity. Conclusion p53 expression rises with the severity of the dysplasia, indicating that it may be used as an auxiliary biomarker of the development of cervical neoplasia. Combining pattern-based p53 interpretation, p16/Ki-67 dual-stain, and HPV genotyping may improve its diagnostic and prognostic utility.