Evaluation of p63 expression in different grades of meningiomas

Objectives: Tumour behavior in meningiomas can be difficult to predict based on histology alone. Our main aim was to evaluate the expression of this marker in different grades of meningiomas. Methods: We investigated expression of p63 in different histological grades of meningiomas. We studied the p63 expression in 41 cases of meningiomas from different histological types (24 cases of benign, 13 cases of atypical and 4 cases of malignant) by the immunohistochemical technique using a monoclonal anti-p63 antibody, clone 4A4. Nuclear staining was scored semiquantitatively based on distribution within neoplastic cells; 0, no staining 1, 50% or less of the cells and 2, more than 50% of the cells. Cytoplasmic staining was evaluated as positive or negative. Results: It was observed that 41 cases of meningiomas 11 (26.8%) cases did not show any p63 expression and 30 (73.2%) cases showed p63 staining in the nucleus. Out of these 30 cases, 15 (36.6%) of the cases were grade I, 12 (29.3%) cases grade II and 3 (7.3%) cases were grade III. Two (14.5% within the grade II and 4.9% within the all cases) of the cases of grade II also showed weak positive cytoplasmic staining. p63 staining was not associated or correlated and meningioma grade (P < 0.108) for the 41 cases analyzed. Conclusion: The nuclear expression of p63 is not a reliable indicator for histological grading of meningiomas and that the cytoplasmic expression of p63 is also not helpful to differentiate the higher grades of meningiomas from the lower grade.