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Decreased CD44H expression in early‐stage tongue carcinoma associates with late nodal metastases following interstitial brachytherapy
Author(s) -
Masuda Muneyuki,
Kuratomi Yuichiro,
Shiratsuchi Hideki,
Nakashima Torahiko,
Naonobu Kunitake,
Komiyama Sohtaro
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
head and neck
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.012
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1097-0347
pISSN - 1043-3074
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0347(200010)22:7<662::aid-hed4>3.0.co;2-o
Subject(s) - brachytherapy , medicine , tongue , neck dissection , nodal , metastasis , cancer , biopsy , tongue neoplasm , carcinoma , prostate cancer , oncology , surgery , radiation therapy , pathology
Background Late nodal metastases is a critical factor that worsens the prognosis of T1/T2N0 tongue cancer treated by interstitial brachytherapy. If we could better predict the patients at high risk for late nodal metastases developing before treatment, more appropriate choices of treatment could be selected. In recent studies of colon cancer, prostate cancer, and laryngeal cancer, CD44H has been postulated to be a metastasis suppressor. Methods On the basis of this phenomenon, we immunohistochemically evaluated the expression of CD44H in 38 cases of primary T1/T2N0 tongue cancer treated by interstitial brachytherapy. Formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded biopsy specimens obtained before treatment were examined. Results The group that had late nodal metastases revealed a significantly lower ( p = .0035) CD44H expression. Conclusions A decreased CD44H expression may therefore be useful as a new predictor of late nodal metastases in patients with T1/T2N0 tongue carcinoma. For patients with a decreased CD44H expression, a partial glossectomy and an elective neck dissection may therefore be an appropriate treatment modality. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Head Neck 22: 662–665, 2000.