Galectin 7 (p53-induced gene 1): a new prognostic predictor of recurrence and survival in stage IV hypopharyngeal cancer.
BACKGROUND
Eighty percent of hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients have advanced stages (III and IV) of the disease, and biological markers are required to predict high-risk head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients in need of highly aggressive treatments after surgery to improve the survival rate. We analyzed the potential prognostic value of galectin 7 in a series of 81 stage IV hypopharyngeal SCCs because galectin 7 is an emerging marker involved in the epidermal development of pluristratified epithelia and in epidermal cell migration.


METHODS
The immunohistochemical expression of galectin 7 was determined on a series of 81 stage IV hypopharyngeal SCCs and was compared with that of galectins 1 and 3.


RESULTS
High levels of galectin 7 expression were associated with rapid recurrence rates and dismal prognoses in these 81 stage IV hypopharyngeal SCCs, a feature not observed with galectin 3 and one observed weakly, if at all, with galectin 1.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that the immunohistochemical determination of galectin 7 expression in the case of high-risk hypopharyngeal cancers is a meaningful tool to identify patients who should benefit from aggressive postsurgical adjuvant therapy after surgery, including not only radiotherapy, but also chemotherapy.
Saussez
Sven
S
Laboratory of Histology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Mons-Hainaut, Avenue du Champ de Mars 6, Pentagone 1B, B-7000, Mons, Belgium.
Cucu
Diana-Raluca
DR
Decaestecker
Christine
C
Chevalier
Dominique
D
Kaltner
Herbert
H
André
Sabine
S
Wacreniez
Agnes
A
Toubeau
Gérard
G
Camby
Isabelle
I
Gabius
Hans-Joachim
HJ
Kiss
Robert
R
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D037161:Galectins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D037502:Galectin 3; D037161:Galectins; C092525:LGALS7 protein, human