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The expression and prognostic relevance of programmed cell death protein 1 in tongue squamous cell carcinoma
Author(s) -
Tervo Sanni,
Seppälä Miia,
Rautiainen Markus,
Huhtala Heini,
Salo Tuula,
AlSamadi Ahmed,
Kuopio Teijo,
Ahtiainen Maarit,
Tommola Satu,
Paavonen Timo,
ToppilaSalmi Sanna
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
apmis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.909
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1600-0463
pISSN - 0903-4641
DOI - 10.1111/apm.13084
Subject(s) - immunohistochemistry , tongue , staining , medicine , immune system , antigen , pathology , cell , cancer , programmed cell death , basal cell , carcinoma , antibody , cancer research , biology , apoptosis , immunology , biochemistry , genetics
Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD‐1) is an immune checkpoint receptor which plays an important role in a patient's immune responses to microbial and cancer antigens. It is expressed in tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) with many different malignancies. The aim of the study was to evaluate PD‐1 expression and its prognostic value in tongue cancer. The data of tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) patients (N = 81) treated in Tampere University Hospital between 1999 and 2013 were used. Control data consisted of patients with non‐malignant tongue mucous membrane lesions (N = 48). The formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded samples were stained immunohistochemically and scanned via digital microscope. The staining of PD‐1 was examined semi‐quantitatively. The density and intensity of PD‐1 + cells were significantly higher in TSCC than in control samples. The expression of PD‐1 correlated with better survival. The expression of PD‐1 could be a potential prognostic marker in TSCC. Further research using larger sample size is needed.