Identification of site-specific prognostic biomarkers in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to identify site-specific prognostic biomarkers in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). For this purpose, Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), Stat3, H-ras, c-myc, p53, cyclin D1, p16, Rb and Bcl-2 were localized immunohistochemically in buccal mucosa carcinoma (n=74) and tongue carcinoma (n=61) patients. Expression of markers was compared between buccal mucosa and tongue carcinoma and assessed for their prognostic value in site-specific manner. On comparison, only cyclin D1 showed significant difference in expression with higher accumulation in tongue tumors (r=+0.177, p=0.039). Moreover, univariate survival analysis showed that in buccal mucosa patients, loss of p16 and overexpression of H-ras were significant prognosticators for relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS), respectively. However, in Cox multivariate analysis, they lost their significance after adjusting for significant clinicopathological parameters. On the other hand, in tongue cancer patients, Cox multivariate analysis showed that for RFS, Stat3 and c-myc, and for OS, Stat3, Bcl-2 and p53 were significant prognosticators after adjusting for significant confounding factors. Our findings indicated that buccal mucosa and tongue carcinoma exhibit different biological behavior which is reflected in prognosis. Therefore, this approach might be helpful to precisely identify patients for more effectively tailored treatment strategy.

“Aberrant sialylation plays a significant role in oral squamous cell carcinoma progression”

“…It also suggests that sialylation patterns vary site by site in all intra‐oral sites as the tongue carcinoma behaves entirely different. One of the studies has demonstrated that tongue carcinoma grows faster than other sites of the oral cavity and more frequently metastasize to cervical lymph nodes with a poorer prognosis . This suggests that elevated transcripts of STs and sialidase have a significant role in the aggressiveness of the disease.…”

An update on the implications of cyclin D1 in oral carcinogenesis

“…This proposition is supported by the varied frequency among different tumors or OSCC localizations of the activation of oncogenic mechanisms that upregulate cyclin D1. Thus, various authors (Mahdey et al , ; Trivedi et al , ; Huang et al , ) have reported that upstream cyclin D1 upregulating mechanisms (amplification, …) are more frequently activated in OSCC of the tongue versus other sites, although buccal mucosa carcinomas with CCND1 gene disorders are as aggressive as tongue carcinomas (Mahdey et al , ).…”

Clinical Relevance of SOCS1 and SOCS3 in Patients with Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

“…All the sections were scored independently, by two individual observers, in a blinded fashion. The scoring system has already been published in our previous literature (Trivedi et al, 2011). The sections were scored by assessing the site of staining which was cytoplasmic and using a semiquantitative score ranging from negative to 3+ (negative staining: 0-10% of cells positive, 1+: 11-30% of cells positive, 2+: 31-50% of cells positive , 3+: >50% of cells positive) was used.…”

“…SOCS proteins are such type of molecules they have dual role in cancer depending on cancer cell origin. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), a devastating neoplasm comprises a heterogeneous group of tumors which has different biological behavior and prognosis (Trivedi et al, 2011). Despite advances in treatment, they still represent a clinical challenge.…”