Low expression levels of p27 correlate with loco-regional recurrence in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

To clarify the roles of p27 and c-myc in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), we used immunohistochemical studies to examine the expression of p27 and c-myc proteins in 69 patients with NPC. The results show that a low level of expression was observed in 47 and 41 cases, respectively. A low level of p27 expression was significantly correlated with loco-regional recurrence, and reduction in the c-myc protein was also correlated with neck metastasis in NPC. Our study indicates that a reduction in p27 expression is frequently seen in NPC. Furthermore, low expression levels of p27 and c-myc may contribute to the aggressive behavior of NPC.