Professional
Technical
IVT
p16 immunostaining
Laboratory test used as a surrogate marker for HPV infection in head and neck cancers.
Full Definition
p16 immunostaining detects overexpression of the p16 protein, which serves as a surrogate biomarker for oncogenic HPV infection in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas. Strong, diffuse nuclear and cytoplasmic staining in ≥70% of tumor cells indicates HPV-positive disease, which has better prognosis and different treatment sensitivities compared to HPV-negative tumors. This test has largely replaced direct HPV testing due to its reliability and standardized interpretation criteria in pathology practice.
Usage
Usage note: Express as p16-positive or p16-negative based on staining pattern.
In Context
- "The oropharyngeal tumor showed strong p16 immunostaining consistent with HPV-positive disease." — pathology report
- "p16 immunostaining has become the standard biomarker for HPV status determination." — diagnostic guideline
Also known as
p16 staining
p16 expression
Contrasted with
p16 negative
Don't confuse with
HPV DNA testing
HPV in situ hybridization