PP111

• Published in: Oral oncology Vol. 49; pp. S131 - S132
• Main Authors: Arruda Porto, Lia Pontes, Pedreira Ramalho, Luciana Maria, Paraguassú, Gardênia Matos, Borba, Fernanda Caires, dos Santos, Jean Nunes, Conceição Barros, Adna, Teixeira Cangussu, Maria Cristina, Aquino Xavier, Flávia Caló
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.05.2013
• Subjects: Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Medicine; Otolaryngology
• ISSN: 1368-8375
• DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2013.03.354

Myofibroblasts are known to induce migration and invasion in a number of contexts both in normal development and tumorigenesis. They have been associated with increased lymph node metastasis as well as poor survival in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC), supporting a role for these cells in invasion and aggressiveness. However, there are few findings that explore the myobibroblast molecular mechanisms in OSCC. Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the presence of stromal myofibroblasts in OSCC correlating to clinicopathological parameters. Material and methods A total of 26 OSCC formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens were evaluated. Myofibroblasts profile was identified by immunohistochemical detection of alpha-smooth muscle actin (SMA), fibronectin, vimentin and HHF35. Its expression was classified as positive by all markers positivity and by spindle-shaped morphology distributed in two dominant patterns, spindle and network. We compared data from immunohistochemical identification of myofibroblasts and clinicopathological parameters, as age, gender, tumor location, smoking habit, alcohol consumption and pathological grade. Results All subjects were smokers and/or habitual alcohol drinkers, mostly above 45 years of age. Myofibroblasts were demonstrated in close to all interface between stroma and neoplastic islands. OSCC-associated myofibroblasts identified a significant group of patients with moderate and poorly differentiated tumors by SMA+/fibronectin+/vimentin+/HHF35 + immunophenotype. Conclusions There was a trend for the presence of myofibroblasts to be inversely related to pathological grade, suggesting that OSCC-associated myofibroblasts might be a strong predictor of oral cancer invasiveness and proliferation. Since the list of SMA-positive spindled cells is large, fibronectin co-expression is important in identifying the myofibroblast. Further studies in terms of OSCC-associated myofibroblasts activities and differentiation must be encouraged to prove its role as a putative anti-cancer target.