EPITHELIAL-MESENCHYMAL TRANSITION AND CELL PROLIFERATION IN ORAL AND OROPHARYNGEAL SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMAS

Abstract

Objective Oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCCs), especially those expressing human papilloma virus (HPV), are associated with a better prognosis than HPV-negative OPSCC and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Among them, OPSCC often presents nonkeratinizing and hybrid than keratinizing histologic subtypes, as well as higher proliferation index. Thus, this study aims to analyze the relationship of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cell proliferation markers in OPSCC and OSCC. Study Design Analysis of EMT (vimentin, CD10) and cell proliferation (cyclin D1 and Ki-67 labeling index [LI]) immunomarkers were performed on tissue microarrays containing 58 OSCC and 17 OPSCC formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples and correlations with the histopathological grading were made. Results Our results showed positivity for vimentin (4 OSCC; 1 OPSCC) and CD10 (8 OSCC; 2 OPSCC). Different from Ki-67 (OSCC, LI 45.5%; OPSCC, LI 41.2%), in which all cases were positive, cyclin D1 was positive only in 53 OSCC (LI 35.5%) and 14 OPSCC (LI 26.6%) cases. No correlations between EMT markers and OSCC/OPSCC histopathologic grading, and similar OSCC/OPSCC cell proliferation, were observed. Conclusions Our results suggest similar expression profiles of EMT and cell proliferation markers in OSCC and OPSCC. Other studies are necessary to efficiently explain why OPSCC have a significantly more favorable prognosis than OSCC. FAPESP grant: 2016/11419-0.