Xie X, Boysen M, Clausen OP, Bryne MA. Prognostic value of Le(y) and H antigens in oral tongue carcinomas.
Laryngoscope 1999;
109:1474-80. [PMID:
10499058 DOI:
10.1097/00005537-199909000-00022]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prognostic significance of the carbohydrate epitopes H and Le(y) and their relationship with proliferation and apoptosis.
STUDY DESIGN
Eighty randomly selected patients with T1-T4 oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) were studied. Serial sections were cut from diagnostic, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens.
METHODS
Sections were stained immunohistochemically for H antigen and Le(y).
RESULTS
Expression of H antigen was associated positively with Le(y) expression (P = .0001). Expressions of H antigen or Le(y) correlated with the proliferative markers Ki67 (P = .0442 and P = .0003, respectively) and pAgNOR > 1 (P = .0674 and P = .0047, respectively), but not with apoptotic markers such as Bax expression or the apoptotic index (AI). Tumors that expressed H antigen and high levels of Le(y) (> 50%) had a poor prognosis (P = .0006 and P = .0056, respectively). Combinations of expression of H antigen and Le(y), and either proliferative or apoptotic markers revealed an enhanced prognostic potential (P < .0001). The combination of pAgNOR score greater than 1 and H-antigen expression appeared to be the best combination to predict good prognosis.
CONCLUSION
The expression of H antigen and Le(y), especially their combination with proliferative or apoptotic markers, has prognostic value in tongue SCC.
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