Expression of CC chemokine receptor 7 in tonsillar cancer predicts cervical nodal metastasis, systemic relapse and survival.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of CC chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) in squamous cell cancer of the tonsil with respect to patterns of spread, relapse-free, overall and disease-specific survival. Eighty-four patients with squamous cell cancer of the tonsil were identified. There was a male predominance of 3 : 1 and the median age at diagnosis was 53 (range 35-86) years. The median duration of follow-up was 33 (range 2-124) months. There was a significant association between CCR7 immunopositivity and synchronous cervical nodal metastasis in patients with tonsillar cancer (Spearman's correlation coefficient 0.564; P<0.001). Relapse-free (P=0.0175), overall (P=0.0136) and disease-specific (P=0.0062) survival rates were significantly lower in patients whose tumours expressed high levels of CCR7. On multivariate analysis, high-level CCR7 staining predicted relapse-free (hazard ratio 3.0, 95% confidence intervals 1.1-8.0, P=0.026) and disease-specific (hazard ratio 10.2, 95% confidence intervals 2.1-48.6, P=0.004) survival. Fifteen percent of patients with the highest level of tumour CCR7 immunopositivity relapsed with systemic metastases. These data demonstrated that CCR7 expression was associated with cervical nodal and systemic metastases from tonsillar cancers. High levels of CCR7 expression predicted a poor prognosis.
Thomas Tatum Head and Neck Unit, St George's Hospital, London, UK.
L
L
Pitkin
S
S
Luangdilok
C
C
Corbishley
P O G
PO
Wilson
P
P
Dalton
D
D
Bray
S
S
Mady
P
P
Williamson
T
T
Odutoye
P
P
Rhys Evans
K N
KN
Syrigos
C M
CM
Nutting
Y
Y
Barbachano
S
S
Eccles
K J
KJ
Harrington
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D054400:Receptors, CCR7; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014067:Tonsillar Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
C515370:CCR7 protein, human; D054400:Receptors, CCR7; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine