Correlation between immunohistochemical expression of Ki-67and P63 and aggressiveness of urinary bladder urothelial carcinoma

Urothelial carcinoma is the most common urinary malignancy with a wide proportion of cancer morbidity and mortality. The aim of the present study is to evaluate Ki-67 and p63 immunoexpression and their correlation with grade and stage of bladder urothelial carcinoma. Fifty cases of bladder urothelial carcinoma were investigated and were submitted to immunohistochemical staining for p63 and Ki-67, which were assessed qualitatively and quantitatively. A high percentage of p63 immunoexpression showed a significant association with low-grade tumors (P < .05), while Ki-67 mean percentage of expression was higher in high-grade tumors, advanced stage and multiple tumors compared to low grade, early-stage and single tumors without statistical association. Furthermore, the mean percentage of p63 was higher in urothelial carcinoma with squamous differentiation compared to pure urothelial carcinoma with an absence of statistical significance. P63 could help in the identification of bladder tumors with squamous differentiation since identifying these cases is important regarding prognostic and therapeutic aspects. Ki 67 seems to be associated with features of bladder tumor progression as multiplicity, high grade and advanced stage.