Expression of E-cadherin, and CD44s and CD44v6 and its association with prognosis in head and neck cancer.
OBJECTIVE
In the current study, the expression of E-cadherin, CD44s, and CD44v6 has been noted as markers for tumor metastasis and prognosis in several tumors, so we examined whether or not E-cadherin, CD44s, and CD44v6 are useful markers for evaluating the prognosis of mesopharyngeal cancer patients.


METHODS
The expression of E-cadherin, CD44s, and CD44v6, was evaluated immunohistochemically using monoclonal antibodies against epitopes of standard and variant proteins, in paraffin-embedded mesopharyngeal cancer tissues from 57 patients who had received curative therapy.


RESULTS
Tumor tissues from 47 (82.5%) patients showed positive immunoreactivity with monoclonal antibody against E-cadherin, 43 (75.4%) patients showed positive expression with CD44, and 45 (78.9%) patients showed positive expression with CD44v6. The expression of CD44v6 was slightly correlated with tumor volume, and lymph node metastasis, and stage classification (P > 0.05). However, there was no significant correlation between the expression of E-cadherin, CD44s and CD44v6 and clinicopathological characteristics. Concerning the prognosis, the survival period of patients with CD44s positive tumors was shorter than that of patients with CD44s negative tumors (18.2% versus 52.1%, 5-year survival, P > 0.05). The survival period of patients with CD44v6 positive tumors was also shorter than that of patients with CD44v6 negative tumors (12.8% versus 55.6%, 5-year survival, P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that CD44v6 may be related to tumor invasion and metastasis, and both CD44s and CD44v6 may be useful markers for poor prognosis in head and neck cancer.
Kawano
Toshirou
T
Kanagawa Cancer Center, Research Institute, 1-1-2 Nakao, Asahi-ku, Yokohama 241-0815, Japan. kawano-t@kkr.hiratsuka.kanagawa.jp
Nakamura
Yoshiyasu
Y
Yanoma
Shunsuke
S
Kubota
Akira
A
Furukawa
Madoka
M
Miyagi
Youhei
Y
Tsukuda
Mamoru
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010610:Pharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C473647:CD44S antigen; C112697:CD44v6 antigen; D015820:Cadherins; D006023:Glycoproteins; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors