title: Perineural invasion and expression of nerve growth factor   can predict the progression and prognosis of oral tongue   squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Perineural invasion (PNI) and nerve growth factor (NGF) expression are found to be significantly associated with the progression and/or prognosis of several human cancers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunohistochemical staining for S-100 and NGF proteins was performed to assess the PNI and NGF expression level in 116 oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) specimens, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The PNI rate increased from 22% of the original pathological report, through 39% after reevaluation of hematoxylin and eosin-stained tissue sections, to 51% with the help of anti-S-100 immunostaining. The positive PNI was significantly associated with larger tumor size (P = 0.033), positive lymph node metastasis (P = 0.001), advanced clinical stage (P < 0.001), greater tumor thickness (P < 0.001), close or positive section margin (P = 0.013), and higher grade of cancer invasion front pattern (P < 0.001). Moreover, the high NGF expression level was significantly correlated with larger tumor size (P = 0.009), positive lymph node metastasis (P = 0.004), advanced clinical stage (P < 0.001), greater tumor thickness (P = 0.005), close or positive section margin (P = 0.030), and the positive PNI (P = 0.009). In addition, OTSCC patients with positive PNI or high NGF expression level had significantly worse overall survival than those with negative PNI or low NGF expression level, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anti-S-100 immunostaining is an effective technique to detect occult PNI. Both the positive PNI and NGF expression level are valuable biomarkers that can predict the progression of OTSCC and prognosis of OTSCC patients.
authors.forename: Wei-Ren
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Yi-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Julia Yu-Fong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Shang-Yang
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Hsin-Ming
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chun-Pin
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Chiang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D059186:Chemoradiotherapy, Adjuvant; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D037981:Neck Dissection / Q000379:methods; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis*; D011379:Prognosis; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009418:S100 Proteins; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor