title: Activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM/CD166) expression in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSSC).
abstract: Activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM/CD166) is expressed in a number of malignancies (e.g. prostate, breast, squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus, lung and head and neck tumors). Based on studies in which ALCAM showed prognostic relevance in several carcinomas, it has been discussed as a potential therapeutic target. We evaluate its expression in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs). A tissue microarray was constructed from more than 400 HNSCCs. Slides were analyzed by immunohistochemistry for ALCAM. Membranous and cytoplasmic ALCAM positivity were rated separately. The tumors were combined into (a) cases with membranous staining and (b) cases with cytoplasmic staining, independently from membranous/cytoplasmic co-expression. We found staining in 70.3% of interpretable HNSCCs. Pure membranous staining was found in 12.4% of tumors, with cytoplasmic positivity in 40.1% of cases, and membranous/cytoplasmic co-expression in 17.9%. No significant association between ALCAM positivity and clinical parameters was found. No significant association between ALCAM expression and survival data was observed for all tumors. The frequent expression of ALCAM (70.3%) in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas does not support an important role for HNSCC biology. The increased levels of ALCAM suggest the existence of a therapeutic window for potential anti-ALCAM therapies.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Till Sebastian
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Clauditz
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: von Rheinbaben
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lebok
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Minner
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Visceral and Thoracic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tachezy
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Radiobiology and Experimental Radiooncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Borgmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Rainald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Knecht
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sauter
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Waldemar
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wilczak
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blessmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany. Electronic address: a.muenscher@uke.de.
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Münscher
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism*; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005326:Fetal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; D055815:Young Adult; D020410:Activated-Leukocyte Cell Adhesion Molecule
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal; D005326:Fetal Proteins; C105613:ALCAM protein, human; D020410:Activated-Leukocyte Cell Adhesion Molecule
keywords: ALCAM; CD166; Cell adhesion; Head and neck carcinomas; Prognostic marker