title: p-Akt and its relationship with clinicopathological features and survival in oral squamous cell carcinoma: an immunohistochemical study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to evaluate, through immunohistochemical reaction in samples of oral squamous cell carcinoma, the correlation between the expression status of protein kinase B (p-Akt) and patient survival as well as histological grade and some clinicopathological features.
  
  
  METHODS
  Samples were collected from 46 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma. The immunohistochemical expression of p-Akt was analysed, as were clinicopathological features including the use of tobacco, tumour stage, size and infiltration of metastatic lymph nodes. The association of immunostaining with histological grade was analysed in 40 patients. The associations were examined for statistical significance using a chi-square test. Overall survival rates were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using a log rank test (P > 0.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results indicated a statistically significant association with p-Akt immunostaining for the variables lymph node metastasis (P = 0.006), tumour size (P = 0.044) and survival rate (P = 0.0298).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  From these results, the present study suggests that high p-Akt expression found in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients may contribute to tumour growth, metastasis to regional lymph nodes and shorter survival time.
authors.affiliation: João de Barros Barreto University Hospital, Guamá, Belém, Pará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Hélder Antônio Rebelo
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Pontes
authors.affiliation: João de Barros Barreto University Hospital, Guamá, Belém, Pará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Flávia Sirotheau Corrêa
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Pontes
authors.affiliation: João de Barros Barreto University Hospital, Guamá, Belém, Pará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adriana Souza
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: de Jesus
authors.affiliation: João de Barros Barreto University Hospital, Guamá, Belém, Pará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maiza Cristina Pereira
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.affiliation: João de Barros Barreto University Hospital, Guamá, Belém, Pará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fábio Luiz Neves
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.affiliation: João de Barros Barreto University Hospital, Guamá, Belém, Pará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tessa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: de Lucena Botelho
authors.affiliation: João de Barros Barreto University Hospital, Guamá, Belém, Pará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jaciane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: do Carmo Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Dental School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Décio
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dos Santos Pinto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001706:Biopsy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000502:physiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012307:Risk Factors; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
keywords: oral cancer; p-Akt; recurrence; survival; tumour growth