Aim
The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of Ki67, CD105 and α‐smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA) expression in oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) and oral squamous cell carcinoma in the background of OSF (OSCC‐SMF).
Methods
The study was carried out on paraffin‐embedded tissues of 30 normal oral mucosa (NOM), 50 OSF cases and 105 OSCC‐SMF. The immunohistochemistry was carried out to evaluate the expression of Ki67, CD105 and α‐SMA antigen.
Results
Ki67 labelling index (LI), CD105 and α‐SMA expression showed increasing trend from NOM, low‐risk epithelial dysplasia (LRED), high‐risk epithelial dysplasia (HRED), well‐differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (WDSCC), moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma to poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. However, there was no significant difference of α‐SMA expression between HRED and WDSCC. In OSCC‐SMF, Ki67 LI, CD105 and α‐SMA were significantly higher in advanced clinical TNM stage, metastasis and less than 3 years patient survival as compared with early clinical TNM stage, non‐metastasis and 3 years or more patient survival.
Conclusion
Ki67 LI, α‐SMA and CD105 expression alone or together correspond with the disease progression model of SMF. Hence, expression of these markers can be used as a predictive marker of clinical outcome of OSCC‐SMF.