Expression and prognostic value of MAGE-A9 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Melanoma-associated antigen (MAGE) family genes are reported to play important roles in the development of human cancers. However, the relationship between the expression of MAGE-A9 and clinicopathological characteristics in human laryngeal carcinoma remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the expression of MAGE-A9, and to evaluate the clinical significance of its expression in human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC).


METHODS
Quantitative real-time reverse transcription-PCR (qPCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were performed to characterize the expression of MAGE-A9 in LSCC tissues and tumor-adjacent normal tissues. Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox regression analyses were performed to evaluate the prognosis of patients with LSCC.


RESULTS
The expression of MAGE-A9 was significantly higher in LSCC than in tumor-adjacent normal tissues. Cytoplasmic expression of MAGE-A9 was detected in 70 of 123 (56.9%) LSCC specimens. Levels of MAGE-A9 in LSCC were related to histopathological grade (P = 0.024). Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox regression analysis revealed that MAGE-A9 expression level and lymph node metastasis were independent prognostic factors of LSCC (P = 0.005; P = 0.001, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Our study suggests that MAGE-A9 expression is a prognostic biomarker for LSCC patients. High expression of MAGE-A9 indicates unfavorable survival outcome in LSCC patients.
Department of Radiotherapy & Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University Suzhou, Jiangsu, China ; Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong Tumor Hospital Nantong, Jiangsu, China.
Liang
L
Han
Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong Tumor Hospital Nantong, Jiangsu, China.
Bin
B
Jiang
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University Nantong, Jiangsu, China.
Hao
H
Wu
Department of Clinical Pathology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University Nantong, Jiangsu, China.
Shu
S
Zhang
Department of Radiotherapy & Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.
Xueguan
X
Lu
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000556:secondary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D015854:Up-Regulation
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C520253:MAGEA9 protein, human; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger
Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma; MAGE-A9; prognosis