title: Beta-catenin and epithelial tumors: a study based on 374 oropharyngeal cancers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although altered regulation of the Wnt pathway via beta-catenin is a frequent event in several human cancers, its potential implications in oral/oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC/OPSCC) are largely unexplored. Work purpose was to define association between beta-catenin expression and clinical-pathological parameters in 374 OSCCs/OP-SCCs by immunohistochemistry (IHC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Association between IHC detected patterns of protein expression and clinical-pathological parameters was assessed by statistical analysis and survival rates by Kaplan-Meier curves. Beta-catenin expression was also investigated in OSCC cell lines by Real-Time PCR. An additional analysis of the DNA content was performed on 22 representative OSCCs/OPSCCs by DNA-image-cytometric analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All carcinomas exhibited significant alterations of beta-catenin expression (P < 0.05). Beta-catenin protein was mainly detected in the cytoplasm of cancerous cells and only focal nuclear positivity was observed. Higher cytoplasmic expression correlated significantly with poor histological differentiation, advanced stage, and worst patient outcome (P < 0.05). By Real-Time PCR significant increase of beta-catenin mRNA was detected in OSCC cell lines and in 45% of surgical specimens. DNA ploidy study demonstrated high levels of aneuploidy in beta-catenin overexpressing carcinomas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the largest study reporting significant association between beta-catenin expression and clinical-pathological factors in patients with OSCCs/OPSCCs.
authors: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Pathological Anatomy, Foundation for Research and Therapy "Giovanni Paolo II", UCSC, 86100 Campobasso, Italy.
authors: Angela
authors: A
authors: Santoro
authors: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Pathological Anatomy, University of Foggia, 71121 Foggia, Italy.
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Pannone
authors: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology, Medical School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
authors: Silvana
authors: S
authors: Papagerakis
authors: Department of Pathology, Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
authors: H Stan
authors: HS
authors: McGuff
authors: Department of Economic Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy.
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Cafarelli
authors: Laboratory of Preclinical and Translational Research, IRCCS-CROB, Oncological Reference Centre of Basilicata, 85028 Rionero in Vulture, Italy.
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: Lepore
authors: Institute of Biochemistry, SUN, 80100 Napoli, Italy.
authors: Salvatore
authors: S
authors: De Maria
authors: Section of Pathological Anatomy, Polytechnic University of Marche, 60100 Ancona, Italy.
authors: Corrado
authors: C
authors: Rubini
authors: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Pathological Anatomy, University of Foggia, 71121 Foggia, Italy.
authors: Marilena
authors: M
authors: Mattoni
authors: Section of Pathological Anatomy, Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Napoli "Federico II", 80100 Napoli, Italy.
authors: Stefania
authors: S
authors: Staibano
authors: Section of Pathological Anatomy, Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Napoli "Federico II", 80100 Napoli, Italy.
authors: Ernesto
authors: E
authors: Mezza
authors: Section of Pathological Anatomy, Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Napoli "Federico II", 80100 Napoli, Italy.
authors: Gaetano
authors: G
authors: De Rosa
authors: Section of Pathological Anatomy, National Cancer Institute "G. Pascale Foundation", 80100 Napoli, Italy.
authors: Gabriella
authors: G
authors: Aquino
authors: Section of Pathological Anatomy, National Cancer Institute "G. Pascale Foundation", 80100 Napoli, Italy.
authors: Simona
authors: S
authors: Losito
authors: Section of Anatomy and Histology, Department of Bio-Medical Sciences, University of Catania, 95100 Catania, Italy.
authors: Carla
authors: C
authors: Loreto
authors: Section of Maxillo-Facial Surgery, Department of Experimental Science in Medicine and Dentistry, University of Messina, 98100 Messina, Italy.
authors: Salvatore
authors: S
authors: Crimi
authors: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Pathological Anatomy, University of Foggia, 71121 Foggia, Italy ; IRCCS-CROB, Oncological Reference Centre of Basilicata, 85028 Rionero in Vulture, Italy.
authors: Pantaleo
authors: P
authors: Bufo
authors: IRCCS-CROB, Oncological Reference Centre of Basilicata, 85028 Rionero in Vulture, Italy ; Section of Oral Pathology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy.
authors: Lorenzo
authors: L
authors: Lo Muzio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009055:Mouth / Q000737:chemistry; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D009960:Oropharynx / Q000737:chemistry; D011003:Ploidies; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D051176:beta Catenin