Survey of risk factors contributed to lymphatic metastasis in patients with oral tongue cancer by immunohistochemistry.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to define the biomarkers of lymphatic spread which facilitate the appropriate therapy for oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) patients at early stage. Here, we investigated the expression levels of seven biomarkers in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) tissues as well as their associations with the clinicopathologic features of OTSCC patients.


METHODS
The OTSCC samples were obtained from 138 patients undergoing tumor resection. Immunohistochemical staining was performed by using ColIA, ColIVA, Fn1, MMP-1, MMP-2, uPA, and D2-40 antibodies. Expression level of theses biomarkers in normal and tumor tissues were compared. Risk factors of lymphatic dissemination were evaluated by logistic regression equation.


RESULTS
LVD, MMP-1, MMP-2, and uPA in cancer tissues were significantly higher than those in normal tissue, and ColIA, ColIVA, and Fn1 in cancer tissue were significantly lower than those in normal tissue. Similar results were obtained from the comparison between metastatic tumor and non-metastatic tumor. All biomarker expressions were closely related with lymph node status and clinical stage. Additionally, the regression equation demonstrated that LVD is the risk factor of lymphatic metastasis in OTSCC patients (OR = 1.732; 95% CIs: 1.167-2.057; P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Down-regulation of ColIA, ColIVA, and Fn1 and up-regulation of LVD, MMP-1, MMP-2, and uPA might be important features of OSCC progression, which may exert their functions and favorably predict lymphatic dissemination for OSCC patients at relatively early stage. Among these biomarkers, increased LVD is an independent risk factor of lymphatic metastasis, which could better predict whether metastasis will occur or not.
State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Zhuang
Z
Zhang
Jian
J
Pan
Longjiang
L
Li
Zhuomin
Z
Wang
Wenlin
W
Xiao
Ningyi
N
Li
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000096:biosynthesis; D024141:Collagen Type IV / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D016015:Logistic Models; D042583:Lymphangiogenesis; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000096:biosynthesis
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D024042:Collagen Type I; D024141:Collagen Type IV; D005353:Fibronectins; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1