Nodal metastasis and survival in oral cancer: Association with protein expression of SLPI, not with LCN2, TACSTD2, or THBS2

• Published in: Head & neck Vol. 37; no. 8; pp. 1130 - 1136
• Main Authors: Noorlag, Rob, van der Groep, Petra, Leusink, Frank K. J., van Hooff, Sander R., Frank, Michaël H., Willems, Stefan M., van Es, Robert J. J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.08.2015; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Acute-Phase Proteins - genetics; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antigens, Neoplasm - genetics; Biomarkers, Tumor - genetics; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - genetics; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - mortality; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - secondary; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - surgery; Cell Adhesion Molecules - genetics; Female; Gene Expression Profiling; Humans; immunohistochemistry; Kaplan-Meier Estimate; Lipocalin-2; Lipocalins - genetics; Lymph Node Excision; lymph node metastases; Lymphatic Metastasis; Male; Middle Aged; Mouth Neoplasms - genetics; Mouth Neoplasms - mortality; Mouth Neoplasms - pathology; Mouth Neoplasms - surgery; Neoplasm Staging; oral cancer; Predictive Value of Tests; Proportional Hazards Models; Proto-Oncogene Proteins - genetics; Retrospective Studies; Secretory Leukocyte Peptidase Inhibitor - genetics; secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI); Sensitivity and Specificity; survival; Thrombospondins - genetics; immunohistochemistry; lymph node metastases; secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI); oral cancer; survival
• ISSN: 1043-3074; 1097-0347
• DOI: 10.1002/hed.23716

ABSTRACT Background Gene expression profiling revealed a strong signature predicting lymph node metastases in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Four of the most predictive genes are secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI), lipocalin‐2 (LCN2), thrombospondin‐2 (THBS2), and tumor‐associated calcium signal transducer 2 (TACSTD2). This study correlates their protein expression with lymph node metastases, overall survival (OS), and disease‐specific survival (DSS). Methods Two hundred twelve patients with OSCC were included for protein expression analysis by immunohistochemistry. Results SLPI expression correlates with lymph node metastases in the whole cohort, not in a subgroup of cT1 to 2N0. SLPI expression correlates with OS (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.61) and DSS (HR = 0.47) in multivariate analysis. LCN2, THBS2, and TACSTD2 show no correlation with lymph node metastases, OS, or DSS. Conclusion Although SLPI expression correlates with lymph node metastases, it has no additional value in determining lymph node metastases in early oral cancer. However, it is an independent predictor for both OS and DSS and therefore a relevant prognostic biomarker in OSCC. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 37: 1130–1136, 2015