title: β-Catenin Expression in Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinomas: Comparison and Correlation with p16 and Human Papillomavirus in situ Hybridization.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway has been noted to be upregulated in head and neck cancers, including oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). This study compared the efficacy of β-catenin immunohistochemistry (IHC), p16 IHC and automated human papillomavirus (HPV) in situ hybridization (ISH) in OSCC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-eight OSCCs (48 surgical specimens and 20 fine-needle aspirations) were evaluated. Nuclear staining only of β-catenin was assessed as 0-3+ intensity (relative to controls of benign squamous mucosa). p16 was interpreted as positive if 70% of tumor cells showed brown nuclear and cytoplasmic staining. HPV ISH was interpreted as positive if a minimum of one tumor cell showed brown punctate dot-like nuclear positivity. p16 IHC and HPV ISH were then correlated with β-catenin staining. HPV ISH was used as the gold standard.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-five of 48 surgical specimens (52.1%) and 11 of 20 cell blocks (55%) stained positively for β-catenin, making a total of 36 of 68 (52.9%) staining positively for β-catenin, as compared to 61.7% positive for p16 IHC and 70.6% positive by automated HPV ISH, the gold standard method for OSCC diagnosis. x03C7;2 analysis revealed no significant correlation between β-catenin and HPV ISH (p > 0.05) and demonstrated a strong correlation between p16 and HPV ISH (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  β-Catenin IHC is not a sensitive or specific marker of HPV and is unlikely to be a useful adjunct to p16 IHC or HPV ISH in the setting of advanced OSCC. However, as this study focused on samples of advanced OSCC, β-catenin IHC may still find some use in the diagnosis of early-stage OSCC.
authors: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University Hospital, Atlanta, Ga., USA.
authors: Julum
authors: J
authors: Nwanze
authors: Cynthia
authors: C
authors: Cohen
authors: Alessandra C
authors: AC
authors: Schmitt
authors: Momin T
authors: MT
authors: Siddiqui
mesh_terms: D057205:Automation, Laboratory; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 / Q000032:analysis*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D061809:Human Papillomavirus DNA Tests / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16; D004279:DNA, Viral; D051176:beta Catenin