Positive association of glucose-regulated protein 78 during oral cancer progression and the prognostic value in oral precancerous lesions.
BACKGROUND
Our aim was to examine the potential role of glucose-regulated protein (GRP)78 during oral cancer progression and the prognostic value in oral precancerous lesions.


METHODS
A total of 204 patients with oral cancer and 86 with precancerous lesions were investigated. GRP78 expression was determined in the lesion tissues by Western blot analysis. Association of GRP78 with clinicopathology or disease prognosis was examined using Fisher's exact, Kaplan-Meier, or Cox regression method.


RESULTS
Hyperexpression of GRP78 was found to be correlated with increasing malignant potential of oral lesions, with 14% in leukoplakia, 27% in erythroplakia, 50% in verrucous lesion, and 74% in oral cancer (p < .0001), suggesting this molecule plays a crucial role in the early steps of oral oncogenesis. In patients with precancerous lesions of the oral cavity, GRP78 expression predicts poorer same-site premalignancy-free survival (p = .002) and malignancy-free survival rates (p = .002).


CONCLUSIONS
Determination of GRP78 expression levels might enable a better risk stratification for patients with oral premalignant lesions.
Lin
Chien-Yu
CY
Department of Radiation Oncology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan.
Chen
Wen-Ho
WH
Liao
Chun-Ta
CT
Chen
I-How
IH
Chiu
Ching-Chi
CC
Wang
Hung-Ming
HM
Yen
Tzu-Chen
TC
Lee
Li-Yu
LY
Chang
Joseph Tung-Chieh
JT
Cheng
Ann-Joy
AJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D015331:Cohort Studies; D000091342:Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP; D005260:Female; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
D000091342:Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP; C000717247:HSPA5 protein, human; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins