title: Ki-67 expression predicts radiosensitivity in oral squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: The prognostic relevance of Ki-67 expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is still controversial. As proliferating cells are more susceptible to ionizing radiation, the authors investigated if a high proliferation rate reflected by Ki-67 expression, predicts radiosensitivity in OSCC patients. In 52 patients with OSCC who received primary surgery followed by radiation therapy, the proliferation rate was assessed by Ki-67 immunhistochemistry and correlated to recurrent free survival and overall survival. Low proliferative carcinomas showed a significantly shorter mean time to recurrence of 27.5 months compared to 49.5 months of high proliferative tumours (p=0.048). The 5-year survival rate of low proliferative tumours was 49% compared to 80% for high proliferative tumours (p=0.042). This study indicates that tumours with high proliferative activity are more susceptible to radiation therapy. Ki-67 might be used as a marker to predict the response to radiation therapy in patients with OSCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany. chr.freudlsperger@med.uni-heidel- berg.de
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Freudlsperger
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Freier
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Engel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000528:radiation effects; D004396:Coloring Agents; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011836:Radiation Tolerance; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004396:Coloring Agents; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen