title: Expression of hypoxic signaling markers in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and its clinical significance.
abstract: Hypoxia is a consistent finding in fast-growing tumors; it contributes to tumor progression and therapeutic responses. We explored the expression of hypoxia-associated biomarkers in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) to assess their relationship with clinical factors in HNSCC. In total, 90 patients with HNSCC were enrolled. Expression of HIF-1α, HSP70, HSP90, VEGF, IGF-1R, and P16 was investigated by immunohistochemistry. Their correlations with clinical factors, including location of primary sites, T stage, N stage, M stage, HPV status, primary treatment success/failure, recurrences, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival, were analyzed. HIF-1α, HPS70, HPS90, VEGF, and IGF-1R were positive in 33 of 89 (37.1 %), 62 of 87 (71.3 %), 83 of 89 (93.3 %), 41 of 87 (47.1 %), and 50 of 56 (89.3 %) cases, respectively. Expression levels of some of these markers were correlated. High HIF-1α or HSP 70 correlated with poor DFS, and expression of HSP70 correlated with LN metastasis. HPV-related carcinomas showed high HSP 70 and IGF-1R expression. Hypoxia-associated proteins were highly expressed and associated with aggressive clinical features in HNSCC. Expression of HIF-1α or HSP70 can be considered poor prognostic indicator in HNSCC. Our results suggest that hypoxic signaling is activated in HNSCC, especially in HPV-related tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Anyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyo Geun
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jin-Soo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ki Hwan
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kwang Hyun
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Myung-Whun
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Ji-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Choe
authors.forename: Ji Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young Ho
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Jung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015687:Cell Hypoxia; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015398:Signal Transduction; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor