# SATB1 and p16 Expression and Prognostic Value in Croatian Hodgkin Lymphoma Patients: A Unicentric Study

## TL;DR

This study examines SATB1 and p16 protein expression in Croatian Hodgkin lymphoma patients and finds that SATB1 is linked to better survival outcomes.

## Contribution

First assessment of SATB1 and p16 expression and their prognostic value in Croatian Hodgkin lymphoma patients.

## Key findings

- 21% of patients showed positive SATB1 expression, and 15% showed positive p16 expression.
- SATB1 expression correlated with better overall and progression-free survival.
- Patients with SATB1+/p16- had the best prognosis according to statistical analysis.

## Abstract

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is a rare lymphoid neoplasm in which Hodgkin/Reed–Stenberg (HRS) cells are admixed with a population of non-neoplastic inflammatory cells and fibrosis. Dysregulated expressions of cell cycle regulators and transcription factors have been proven as one of the hallmarks of HL. In that context, SATB1 and p16 have been reported as potential regulators of HL progression and survival. However, to date, no studies have assessed the expression levels of SATB1 and p16 in HL in Croatian patients or their prognostic values. Therefore, we investigated the expression pattern of SATB1 and p16 in paraffin-embedded lymph node biopsies using standard immunohistochemistry. We found that 21% of the patients stained positive for SATB1, while 15% of the patients displayed positive staining for p16. Furthermore, we aimed to understand the prognostic value of each protein through the analysis of the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). SATB1 showed a significantly positive correlation with better OS and PFS, while p16 expression had no impact. Interestingly, when patients were stratified by a combination of the two studied markers, we found that patients in the SATB1+/p16- group tended to have the best prognosis in HL, according to statistical significance. In conclusion, SATB1 and p16 might be potentially useful as diagnostic and prognostic markers for HL.