title: Expression of EpCAM and prognosis in early-stage glottic cancer treated by radiotherapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) often requires radiotherapy, but relapse can occur. There is, therefore, an urgent need for the identification of a predictive novel biomarker for radiosensitivity. The epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) has been shown to promote the transformation of malignant tumors, and EpCAM may have prognostic significance, but it is not known if EpCAM determines prognosis, especially with respect to radiotherapy. Therefore, we determined the incidence of the expression of EpCAM in HNSCC and analyzed the prognostic value in patients with early-stage glottic cancer treated with radiotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients with HNSCCs examined in our hospital between January 2012 and February 2013 were analyzed prospectively for the expression of EpCAM. T1-2N0 glottic cancer patients who were primarily treated by radiation therapy between 1995 and 2008 were retrospectively investigated. Patients with or without local recurrence after radical radiation therapy were extracted. The relationship between local recurrence and histopathologic EpCAM expression was compared within these two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred eighteen patients with HNSCCs from the nasopharynx, oropharynx, hypopharynx, larynx, oral cavity, paranasal cavity, unknown primary, and other sites were analyzed. Positive expression of EpCAM was noted in the oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx (72%, 90%, and 58%, respectively). Seventeen and 22 patients with or without local recurrence were extracted, respectively. There was no difference between two groups, with the exception of EpCAM expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expression of EpCAM in HNSCC was investigated. Patients with strong EpCAM expression were associated with local recurrence after primary radiation therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  NA
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Taisuke
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Seiichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoshimoto
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Kazuma
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Harada
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ken
authors.forename: Mayuka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kitaguchi
authors.forename: Shuhei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sekii
authors.forename: Kana
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Kotaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshio
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inaba
authors.forename: Madoka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morota
authors.forename: Minako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sumi
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Itami
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule; D005260:Female; D005931:Glottis / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule
keywords: BerEP4; EpCAM; Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma; early-stage glottic cancer; radiation therapy