P-cadherin expression and survival rate in oral squamous cell carcinoma: an immunohistochemical study.
BACKGROUND
P-cadherin (P-cad) is a transmembrane molecule involved in the cell-cell adhesion and similar to E-cadherin (E-cad), but less investigated in oncology, especially in in vivo studies. Aims of the present study were to assess the prevalence of P-cad expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and to verify whether P-cad can be considered a marker of prognosis in patients with OSCC.


METHODS
In a retrospective study, a cohort of 67 OSCC patients was investigated for P-cad expression and its cellular localization by immunohistochemistry; some respective healthy margins of resection were similarly investigated as standard controls. After grouping for P-cad expression, OSCCs were statistically analyzed for the variables age, gender, histological grading (G), TNM, Staging, and overall survival rate. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed.


RESULTS
37 cases (55.2%) of OSCC showed membranous/cytoplasmic positivity for P-cad, whereas 30 (44.8 %) were negative. Although with some differences in membranous vs cytoplasmic localization of P-cad in OSCC with different G, no statistical association was found between P-cad expression and any variables considered at baseline. In terms of prognostic significance, P-cad non expression was found to have an independent association with poorer overall survival rate than P-cad expressing group (P = 0.056); moreover, among P-cad +ve patients the best prognosis was for those OSCC with membranous (P < 0.0001) than those with cytoplasmic P-cad expression.


CONCLUSIONS
On the basis of these results, it is possible to suggest P-cad as an early marker of poor prognosis. The abnormal or lack of P-cad expression could constitute an hallmark of aggressive biological behavior in OSCC.
Lo Muzio
Lorenzo
L
Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy. llomuzio@tin.it
Campisi
Giuseppina
G
Farina
Antonio
A
Rubini
Corrado
C
Pannone
Giuseppe
G
Serpico
Rosario
R
Laino
Gregorio
G
De Lillo
Alfredo
A
Carinci
Francesco
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015820:Cadherins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality*; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015820:Cadherins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules