The role of survivin expression in the differential diagnosis of laryngeal (glottic) verrucous squamous cell carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Laryngeal verrucous squamous cell carcinoma (VSCC) is a highly differentiated carcinoma (SCC) whose histological diagnosis has many pitfalls in particular considering small biopsies: multiple glottic biopsies may be necessary to conclude for a malignant or benign lesion (papillary hyperplasia). Survivin is a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein family. Survivin over-expression has been demonstrated in laryngeal SCCs. The aims of the present study have been to evaluate for the first time survivin expression in glottic VSCC and investigate the potential role of survivin expression in the differential diagnosis of laryngeal VSCC.


METHODS
Survivin expression was determined in 11 consecutive cases of glottic VSCC, in 24 cases of glottic papillary hyperplasia, and in 23 cases of SCC.


RESULTS
Nuclear survivin reaction predominated in laryngeal VSCCs, papillary hyperplasias, and SCCs. Mean survivin expressions in the VSCC basal layer, hyper-proliferative areas of laryngeal papillary hyperplasia, and SCC were 62.7%, 68.3%, and 70.0%, respectively. Mean survivin expression was 15.6% in VSCC parakeratosis and 1.5% in papillary hyperplasia parakeratosis (p<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Survivin expression was significantly higher in parakeratosis areas of laryngeal VSCC than in parakeratosis areas of laryngeal papillary hyperplasia. Immunohistochemical determination of survivin expression in parakeratosis areas may be a promising tool to substantiate differential diagnosis between glottic VSCC and papillary hyperplasia.
Marioni
G
G
Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Section of Otolaryngology, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35100 Padova, Italy. gino.marioni@unipd.it
Pillon
M
M
Bertolin
A
A
Staffieri
A
A
Marino
F
F
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017209:Apoptosis; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018289:Carcinoma, Verrucous / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005931:Glottis / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011379:Prognosis; D000077022:Survivin
C107489:BIRC5 protein, human; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D000077022:Survivin