title: [Investigation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase and lymphnode metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the relationship between the expression of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) and the differentiation degree and lymphnode metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunohistochemical staining was used in 41 cases of OSCC to investigate the expression of ERK protein. Student's t test were used for statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant relationship was observed between the expression intensity of ERK protein and clinicopathological features of OSCC (P<0.01). A significant relationship was observed between the expression intensity of ERK protein and lymph node metastasis of OSCC(P<0.05). No correlation between the expression intensity of ERK protein and cell differentiation degree of OSCC (P>0.05) was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Activation of ERK may play a strong role in the development of OSCC. Intensive expression of ERK protein may be an important presage marker in OSCC patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 2nd Hospital of China Medical University. Shenyang 110004, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Qiu-Xu
authors.initials: QX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Chang-Fu
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases