title: Foxp3 overexpression in tumor cells predicts poor survival in oral squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: Forkhead Box P3 (Foxp3) is a regulatory T cells marker, and its expression correlates with prognosis in a number of malignancies. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship of Foxp3 expression with clinicopathological parameters and prognosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).
  
  
  
  Foxp3 expression was examined using immunohistochemistry (IHC) in paraffin-embedded tissue samples from 273 OSCC patients. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate the associations between Foxp3 expression, the clinicopathologic characteristics and prognostic factors in OSCC.
  
  
  
  Foxp3 protein expression was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis (P <0.01). Both univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that Foxp3 was an independent factor for both 5 years overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) (both P <0.01). Patients with Foxp3 overexpression had shorter OS and RFS.
  
  
  
  Our results determined that elevated Foxp3 protein expression was a predictive factor of outcome in OSCC and could act as a promising therapeutic target.
authors.affiliation: Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 56, Lingyuan West Road, Guangzhou, 510055, China.
authors.forename: Jing-Jing
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Si-Jia
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 56, Lingyuan West Road, Guangzhou, 510055, China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 56, Lingyuan West Road, Guangzhou, 510055, China.
authors.forename: Da
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 56, Lingyuan West Road, Guangzhou, 510055, China.
authors.forename: Xiang-Qi
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 56, Lingyuan West Road, Guangzhou, 510055, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Bing
authors.initials: XB
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 56, Lingyuan West Road, Guangzhou, 510055, China.
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 56, Lingyuan West Road, Guangzhou, 510055, China. chengbin@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 56, Lingyuan West Road, Guangzhou, 510055, China. wangzh75@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors
keywords: Five years overall survival; Foxp3; Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC); Relapse-Free Survival(RFS)