Abstract
The aim of this single-center case-control study is to investigate the feasibility and accuracy of oral cancer protein risk stratification (OCPRS) to analyze the risk of cancer progression. All patients diagnosed with oral cancer in Taiwan, between 2012 and 2014, and who underwent surgical intervention were selected for the study. The tissue was further processed for immunohistochemistry (IHC) for 21 target proteins. Analyses were performed using the results of IHC staining, clinicopathological characteristics, and survival outcomes. Novel stratifications with a hierarchical clustering approach and combinations were applied using the Cox proportional hazard regression model. Of the 163 participants recruited, 102 patients were analyzed, and OCPRS successfully identified patients with different progression-free survival (PFS) profiles in high-risk (53 subjects) versus low-risk (49 subjects) groups (p = 0.012). OCPRS was composed of cytoplasmic PLK1, phosphoMet, and SGK2 IHC staining. After controlling for the influence of clinicopathological features, high-risk patients were 2.33 times more likely to experience cancer progression than low-risk patients (p = 0.020). In the multivariate model, patients with extranodal extension (HR = 2.66, p = 0.045) demonstrated a significantly increased risk for disease progression. Risk stratification with OCPRS provided distinct PFS groups for patients with oral cancer after surgical intervention. OCPRS appears suitable for routine clinical use for progression and prognosis estimation.
Highlights
Oral squamous cell cancer (OSCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide, with 630,000 new cases and 350,000 deaths estimated annually [1]
According to the pathological grading system, grade 1 was observed in 48 patients, grade 2 in 52 patients, and grade 3 in 2 patients
A positive margin of the surgical specimen was observed in 6 patients, lymphovascular invasion (LVI) in 10 patients, perineural invasion (PNI) in 13 patients, and extranodal extension (ENE) in
Summary
Oral squamous cell cancer (OSCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide, with 630,000 new cases and 350,000 deaths estimated annually [1]. Its striking worldwide incidence and socioeconomic burden encourage extensive research on factors that could modify clinical outcomes [2]. A high incidence of oral cancer recurrence and metastasis affects the quality of life and survival in patients [3,4]. It remains crucial to identify prognostic biomarkers and risk stratifications for improved disease management. Reported and well-known risk factors for oral cancer include alcohol consumption, betel nut use, and cigarette smoking [5,6]. The tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) system is the most prevalent tool for prognostic evaluation of OSCC. This system lacks immediacy and convenience, necessitating extensive physical and imaging examinations. More accurate and timely prognostic biomarkers are requisite for OSCC, especially in Asian populations
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
