Evaluation of natural killer cell (CD57) as a prognostic marker in oral squamous cell carcinoma: An immunohistochemistry study.
OBJECTIVE
Natural killer (NK) cells are important effector lymphocytes. NK cells are considered to represent innate immune system. NK cells target and kill aberrant cells such as virally infected and tumorigenic cells. The purpose of this study was to assess the expression of CD57 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and to correlate the expression of CD57 with 3 years survival in patients with OSCC.


METHODS
About 100 histopathologically diagnosed cases of OSCC of various grades were divided into two groups, i.e., Group I (dead patients) and Group II (live patients) from the archives of Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology. CD57 was detected in these tissues by immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
The results were analyzed using Spearman's correlation coefficient and students unpaired t-test. The mean CD57 labeling index in Group II was significantly higher than that found in Group I (P = 0.000). There was a significant correlation (P = 0.00) in the mean CD57 levels between Groups I and II and prognosis of patient.


CONCLUSIONS
CD57 could be a good prognostic marker for OSCC patients.
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Institute of Dental Sciences and Hospital, Patna, Bihar, India.
Rashmi
R
Agarwal
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and Microbiology, Sharad Pawar Dental College, Wardha, Maharashtra, India.
Minal
M
Chaudhary
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and Microbiology, Sharad Pawar Dental College, Wardha, Maharashtra, India.
Shruti
S
Bohra
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and Microbiology, Sharad Pawar Dental College, Wardha, Maharashtra, India.
Shree
S
Bajaj
CD57; natural killer cell; oral cancer; oral squamous cell carcinoma