title: Clinical significance of osteopontin expression in T1 and T2 tongue cancers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Osteopontin (OPN) is considered to be a tumor-related protein associated with tumor aggressiveness and metastasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunohistochemistry was used to study the clinical significance of OPN expression in T1 and T2 tongue cancers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Positive OPN expression significantly correlated with higher tumor classification (T) (p = .004), positive nodal classification (N) (p < .001), greater tumor thickness (p < .001), and presence of tumor necrosis (p = .016), respectively. The unfavorable cumulative 5-year disease-free survival rate significantly correlated with positive OPN expression (p < .001), T2 (p = .024), positive N (p < .001), greater tumor thickness (p = .023), and positive tumor necrosis (p = .003). However, taking CD105 into consideration, only CD105 expression was the independent prognostic factor for survival by Cox's regression analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overexpression of OPN in the tumors implicated a more aggressive tumor behavior and was an important factor for survival. In addition, there might be relationship between OPN and CD105 expressions in angiogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Yen
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chien
authors.forename: Chih-Ying
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Hui-Ching
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: Fu-Min
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Hsuan-Ying
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ching-Mei
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chang-Han
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chao-Cheng
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D053495:Osteopontin / Q000378:metabolism*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D053495:Osteopontin