Infiltrating macrophage count: a significant predictor for the progression and prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinomas in Taiwan.
BACKGROUND
Infiltrating macrophage count (IMC) is found to correlate with the progression and prognosis of many human cancers.


METHODS
This study used immunohistochemistry to measure the IMC (macrophages/high-power field [HPF]) in 92 specimens of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).


RESULTS
A significantly increased IMC was found in OSCCs with larger tumor size, positive lymph node metastasis, more advanced clinical stages, or recurrence (all ps < .05). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis found that OSCC patients with IMC >196 macrophages/HPF had a significantly shorter disease-free (p = .001, log-rank test) or overall survival (p < .001, log-rank test) than OSCC patients with IMC <196 macrophages/HPF. Multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that IMC >196 macrophages/HPF was an independent predictor for poor disease-free (p = .005) and overall survival of patients with OSCC (p = .015).


CONCLUSIONS
The IMC can predict the progression and prognosis of OSCCs in Taiwan.
Lu
Chia-Fang
CF
Department of Periodontics, Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Huang
Chiung-Shing
CS
Tjiu
Jeng-Wei
JW
Chiang
Chun-Pin
CP
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002452:Cell Count; D018450:Disease Progression; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015994:Incidence; D008264:Macrophages / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology