title: MASPIN tumour-suppressing activity in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: emerging evidence and therapeutic perspectives.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  A large series confirmation may suggest elective neck dissection in cN0 MASPIN-negative oral squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs). Re-activated nuclear MASPIN in association with anti-angiogenic or cytotoxic drugs may be extremely effective in the treatment of laryngeal SCC.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  MASPIN is a serpin showing a unique tumour-suppressing activity. Despite the significant incidence of head and neck SCC (HNSCC), a limited number of studies has considered MASPIN's role in these malignancies. This review focuses on the attempts to translate MASPIN's HNSCC suppressive properties toward a diagnostic/prognostic tool and a novel carcinoma therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic literature review was performed to investigate available evidence about MASPIN subcellular localization and biological role in HNSCC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five studies have investigated MASPIN's expression in oral SCC. Most of them concluded that low or absent MASPIN cytoplasmic expression was more frequent in oral carcinomas with lymph node metastases. Only our group evaluated MASPIN's role in laryngeal SCC. Higher nuclear MASPIN expression was found in patients without SCC recurrence and was significantly associated with longer disease-free survival. Micro-vascular density was lower in laryngeal carcinomas with MASPIN nuclear staining. The relation between MASPIN and M30-assessed apoptosis in laryngeal SCC supports the hypothesis of an important apoptosis-sensitizing effect of nuclear MASPIN.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Section of Otolaryngology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy. gino.marioni@unipd.it
authors.forename: Gino
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marioni
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Staffieri
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Staffieri
authors.forename: Cosimo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Filippis
authors.forename: Stella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blandamura
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D015870:Gene Expression; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D015843:Serpins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C085344:SERPIN-B5; D015843:Serpins