Comparative histological assessment of p53, Ki-67 and EGFR in oral squamous cell carcinoma grading and prognostication.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) outcomes require molecular markers beyond histological grading for reliable prognostication. Therefore, it is of interest to assess p53, Ki-67 and EGFR expression via immunohistochemistry in 96 confirmed OSCC cases, correlating with grade, lymph node metastasis and stage. All markers showed significantly elevated expression with advancing tumor grade (p53 in 78.1%, Ki-67 >50% in poorly differentiated tumors, EGFR in 71.9% of cases). Combined positivity offered superior correlation with lymph node metastasis (p<0.001) and advanced clinical stage versus individual markers. Integrated p53/Ki-67/EGFR assessment advances OSCC prognostication, warranting routine pathological use for enhanced clinical decision-making.