Examining expression of folate receptor in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck as a target for a novel nanotherapeutic drug.
BACKGROUND
Nanotechnology-based drug delivery approaches may help increase therapeutic efficacy and decrease side effects of chemotherapeutics. We investigated expression levels of folate receptor in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) to evaluate folate receptor as a target for nanotherapy.


METHODS
Folate receptor expression levels in archival SCCHN tissues were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and correlated with clinical parameters.


RESULTS
Folate receptor was detected in 45% of primary tumors and 40% of corresponding lymph node metastases. Folate receptor expression in primary tumors of the metastatic group strongly correlated with the corresponding lymph node metastases (p = .0002). Folate receptor expression was inversely correlated with disease-free survival in nonmetastatic (p = .0048), metastatic (p = .0127), and lymph node metastases (p <.001) groups, and with overall survival in the lymph node metastases group (p <.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Folate receptor is expressed in a significant proportion of primary SCCHN and corresponding lymph node metastases tissues, and correlates with worse clinical outcome. These findings provide support for folate receptor-mediated nanotherapeutics in SCCHN.
Saba
Nabil F
NF
Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. nfsaba@emory.edu
Wang
Xu
X
Müller
Susan
S
Tighiouart
Mourad
M
Cho
Kwangjae
K
Nie
Shuming
S
Chen
Zhuo
Z
Shin
Dong M
DM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D058973:Folate Receptors, GPI-Anchored; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050997:Nanomedicine; D036103:Nanotechnology; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D058973:Folate Receptors, GPI-Anchored; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D005492:Folic Acid; D017239:Paclitaxel