Radiosensitivity of squamous cell carcinoma metastases to the neck assessed by immunocytochemical profiling of fine-needle aspiration biopsy cell specimens: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
To assess radiosensitivity of neck metastases of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) by immunocytochemical profiling of fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) cell specimens.


METHODS
Immunocytochemical reactions to p53, cyclin D1, stefin A and Ki-67 were determined in FNAB cell samples of neck metastases from 21 patients treated with concomitant chemoradiotherapy and correlated to clinical characteristics and response to therapy.


RESULTS
Six (28.6%), eight (38.1%), 15 (71.4%) and nine (42.9%) FNAB cell samples were classified as p53, cyclin D1, stefin A and Ki-67 positive, respectively. Statistically significant predictors of favorable nodal response to chemoradiation were p53 (P=0.025) and cyclin D1 (cytoplasmic fraction, P=0.048) negativity and Ki-67 positivity (P=0.045). Regional recurrence correlated with low Ki-67 immunoreactivity. A favorable profile of cyclin D1 and Ki-67 (one or both of the two) further improved the predictive strength of these markers.


CONCLUSIONS
FNAB is a non-invasive, simple and cheap procedure, which could serve simultaneously for diagnostic purposes and for radiosensitivity testing. Immunocytochemical determination of cyclin D1 and Ki-67 in FNAB cell samples from neck metastases of SCCHN seems to be a valuable marker for predicting regional response to radiotherapy and might assist when deciding on appropriate primary therapy.
Institute of Pathology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Margareta Strojan
MS
Flezar
Irena Srebotnik
IS
Kirbis
Katarina Surlan
KS
Popović
Primoz
P
Strojan
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D019938:Cyclin D1 / Q000032:analysis; D055312:Cystatin A / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck; D011836:Radiation Tolerance; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis
D055312:Cystatin A; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D019938:Cyclin D1