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Perineural invasion and expression of nerve growth factor can predict the progression and prognosis of oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma
Author(s) -
Shen WeiRen,
Wang YiPing,
Chang Julia YuFong,
Yu ShangYang,
Chen HsinMing,
Chiang ChunPin
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of oral pathology and medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.887
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1600-0714
pISSN - 0904-2512
DOI - 10.1111/jop.12133
Subject(s) - perineural invasion , medicine , immunohistochemistry , pathology , immunostaining , pathological , tumor progression , cancer , nerve growth factor , metastasis , stage (stratigraphy) , oncology , biology , paleontology , receptor
Background Perineural invasion ( PNI ) and nerve growth factor ( NGF ) expression are found to be significantly associated with the progression and/or prognosis of several human cancers. Methods Immunohistochemical staining for S ‐100 and NGF proteins was performed to assess the PNI and NGF expression level in 116 oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma ( OTSCC ) specimens, respectively. Results The PNI rate increased from 22% of the original pathological report, through 39% after reevaluation of hematoxylin and eosin‐stained tissue sections, to 51% with the help of anti‐ S ‐100 immunostaining. The positive PNI was significantly associated with larger tumor size ( P = 0.033), positive lymph node metastasis ( P = 0.001), advanced clinical stage ( P < 0.001), greater tumor thickness ( P < 0.001), close or positive section margin ( P = 0.013), and higher grade of cancer invasion front pattern ( P < 0.001). Moreover, the high NGF expression level was significantly correlated with larger tumor size ( P = 0.009), positive lymph node metastasis ( P = 0.004), advanced clinical stage ( P < 0.001), greater tumor thickness ( P = 0.005), close or positive section margin ( P = 0.030), and the positive PNI ( P = 0.009). In addition, OTSCC patients with positive PNI or high NGF expression level had significantly worse overall survival than those with negative PNI or low NGF expression level, respectively. Conclusions Anti‐ S ‐100 immunostaining is an effective technique to detect occult PNI . Both the positive PNI and NGF expression level are valuable biomarkers that can predict the progression of OTSCC and prognosis of OTSCC patients.