Endoglin expression is associated with poor oncologic outcome in oral and oropharyngeal carcinoma.
CONCLUSIONS
The present preliminary results suggest that endoglin (CD105)-assessed micro-vessel density (MVD) in primary oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) may identify patients at risk of disease recurrence or poor oncological outcome after treatment.


OBJECTIVE
MVD is an independent prognostic indicator in several human malignancies. Endoglin antibodies have shown a greater specificity for tumour vasculature in comparison with pan-endothelial markers. The present explorative study evaluated endoglin expression and its prognostic role in oral and oropharyngeal SCCs.


METHODS
The study considered 13 consecutive cases of oral and oropharyngeal SCC with lymph node metastases (pN+) and 13 consecutive pN0 cases. CD105-assessed MVD was calculated at 400x magnification.


RESULTS
The mean MVDs were 3.6 and 3.1 in pN+ and pN0 groups, respectively (p>0.05). The mean CD105-assessed MVDs were 4.7 in the group with locoregional recurrence and 2.9 in the group without locoregional recurrence or post-treatment diagnosis of distant metastasis (p=0.01). The mean CD105-assessed MVD in primary oral and oropharyngeal SCCs with poor oncological outcome (recurrence of disease or occurrence of distant metastasis) was 4.3. The mean MVD in primary oral and oropharyngeal SCCs with good outcome was 2.9. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference between CD105-assessed MVD in poor and good outcome groups (p=0.02).
Marioni
Gino
G
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Padova, Italy. g_marioni@virgilio.it
Marino
Filippo
F
Giacomelli
Luciano
L
Staffieri
Claudia
C
Mariuzzi
Maria Livia
ML
Violino
Elena
E
De Filippis
Cosimo
C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000098:blood supply / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D000071063:Endoglin; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000032:analysis*; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D015996:Survival Rate
D015703:Antigens, CD; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C064206:ENG protein, human; D000071063:Endoglin; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface