Immunostaining patterns of CD31 and podoplanin in previously untreated advanced oral/oropharyngeal cancer: prognostic implications.
BACKGROUND
The objective of this study was to assess angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis patterns in advanced oral/oropharyngeal cancer by immunohistochemical techniques.


METHODS
Forty-five patients with advanced oral/oropharyngeal cancer, treated by primary surgery between January 1996 and December 2005, were selected. All cases were followed for at least 24 months. Angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis were evaluated with antibodies against CD31 and podoplanin, respectively. Survival outcomes were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method, whereas univariate comparisons were obtained by log-rank, chi-square, and Mann-Whitney tests.


RESULTS
Survival correlated with the area of peritumoral blood vessels (p = .02), whereas the number of intratumoral lymphatics (p = .02) correlated with the occurrence of nodal metastasis. The risk for distant metastasis correlated with the perimeter of intratumoral lymphatics (p = .02).


CONCLUSIONS
Peritumoral angiogenesis presented different expression patterns between survivors and patients who died of disease. Intratumoral lymphangiogenesis was correlated with a higher risk of developing lymph node (LN) and distant metastasis.
Bolzoni Villaret
Andrea
A
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy. dr.bolton@libero.it
Schreiber
Alberto
A
Facchetti
Fabio
F
Fisogni
Simona
S
Lonardi
Silvia
S
Lombardi
Davide
D
Cocco
Daniela
D
Redaelli de Zinis
Luca Oscar
LO
Nicolai
Piero
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D042583:Lymphangiogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis; D000098853:Podoplanin
D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; C117468:PDPN protein, human; D000098853:Podoplanin