title: Evaluation of the CD44 isoform v-6 (sCD44var, v6) in the saliva of patients with laryngeal carcinoma and its prognostic role.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The soluble fraction of the CD44 protein (solCD44) may constitute a valuable biological marker of Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs), useful for screening/early detection of laryngeal cancer, and for the prognosis. In previous papers, in fact, we have studied the expression of salivary solCD44 in patients with laryngeal tumors, supporting its use for early diagnosis of laryngeal carcinoma with high sensitivity and specificity, also with prognostic role, useful for clinical outcome.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of present study was to verify the levels of solCD44 isoform v6, sCD44var (v6), in saliva samples of patients with laryngeal carcinoma in our tumoral biobank, to evaluate possible correlations with clinical-anamnestic and prognostic data.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study design was retrospective. Salivary samples of 66 patients with laryngeal cancer recruited from January 2012 to December 2013 were selected from our tumoral biobank. For each salivary sample was performed the determination of solCD44 and its isoform v6, sCD44var (v6), by ELISA. Qualitative and quantitative results of the test were correlated with clinical and medical history data. For statistical analysis we used the software MedCalc (versione 12.2.1.0).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Concentrations of salivary sCD44var v6 were significantly higher according to the size of the primary tumor (T) (p= 0.001), the tumor site glottic or supraglottic-transglottic (p= 0.005) and according to the metastatic lymph node involvement (p= 0005). Furthermore, tumors in advanced disease (stage III-IV) showed values of salivary sCD44var v6 higher than the tumors in early stage, with a statistically significant difference (p= 0.005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The determination of the levels of salivary solCD44 v6 may represent a promising prognostic test in laryngeal carcinomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Trapasso
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garozzo
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Belfiore
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Allegra
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism*; D047368:Tumor Burden
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C112697:CD44v6 antigen; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors
keywords: Soluble CD44; laryngeal cancer; sCD44var (v6); saliva