RCAS-1 serum and tumor levels in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
RCAS-1 is a transmembrane protein that is involved in the evasion of host immune surveillance by tumor cells. It has been found to be a valuable prognostic and diagnostic marker in a number of different malignancies. The objective of the study was to analyze the potency of RCAS-1 as a biomarker in the serum of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).


METHODS
ELISA was performed with prospectively collected serum samples from 60 patients with HNSCC (taken at the time of diagnosis, after 3 and 12 months) and from 31 healthy controls. To correlate serum levels with RCAS-1 expression in the tumor, immunohistochemical staining of RCAS-1 was done using a tissue microarray.


RESULTS
Surprisingly, median sRCAS-1 levels were basically identical between tumor patients and controls. Interestingly, patients with low RCAS-1 values at the time of diagnosis had better disease-free survival. 62% of tumor samples expressed RCAS-1 but we could not demonstrate a correlation between protein expression and serum levels.


CONCLUSIONS
This study was the first to correlate RCAS-1 levels in the serum and in the tumor of the same patients. RCAS-1 seems to have prognostic properties although larger studies will be necessary to fully evaluate its role in HNSCC.
Brunner
M
M
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Erovic
B
B
Heiduschka
G
G
Schneider
S
S
Pammer
J
J
Frantal
S
S
Thurnher
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C120762:EBAG9 protein, human