Decreased CD44H expression in early-stage tongue carcinoma associates with late nodal metastases following interstitial brachytherapy.
BACKGROUND
Late nodal metastases is a critical factor that worsens the prognosis of T1/T2N0 tongue cancer treated by interstitial brachytherapy. If we could better predict the patients at high risk for late nodal metastases developing before treatment, more appropriate choices of treatment could be selected. In recent studies of colon cancer, prostate cancer, and laryngeal cancer, CD44H has been postulated to be a metastasis suppressor.


METHODS
On the basis of this phenomenon, we immunohistochemically evaluated the expression of CD44H in 38 cases of primary T1/T2N0 tongue cancer treated by interstitial brachytherapy. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded biopsy specimens obtained before treatment were examined.


RESULTS
The group that had late nodal metastases revealed a significantly lower (p =.0035) CD44H expression.


CONCLUSIONS
A decreased CD44H expression may therefore be useful as a new predictor of late nodal metastases in patients with T1/T2N0 tongue carcinoma. For patients with a decreased CD44H expression, a partial glossectomy and an elective neck dissection may therefore be an appropriate treatment modality.
Masuda
M
M
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, 3-1-1, Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
Kuratomi
Y
Y
Shiratsuchi
H
H
Nakashima
T
T
Naonobu
K
K
Komiyama
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001918:Brachytherapy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000378:metabolism; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy
D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors