Businello G, Fassan M, Degasperi S, Traverso G, Scarpa M, Angriman I, Kotsafti A, Castagliuolo I, Sbaraglia M, Bardini R, Scarpa M. Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma metachronous to head and neck cancers.
Pathol Res Pract 2021;
219:153346. [PMID:
33545655 DOI:
10.1016/j.prp.2021.153346]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
In some HNSCC patients, a metachronous ESCC may develop. No information is available on the HNSCC-associated ESCCs microenvironment and etiology.
METHODS
Among 134 ESCCs surgically treated between 2009 and 2015, a series of 6 HNSCC-associated ESCCs was collected. A series of 12 sex-, age- and stage-matched ESCCs with no previous oncological medical history was selected for comparison. Histologic assessment of intratumoral inflammatory infiltration and immunohistochemistry for CD4, CD8, CD80, PD1, PD-L1 and p53 were performed. HPV detection/genotyping was assessed by PCR single step and reverse line blot.
RESULTS
HPV DNA was negative in all the HNSCC-associated ESCCs. In comparison to non-HNSCC-associated carcinomas, the 6 cases presented a lower lymphomonocytic infiltration, which also corresponded to a lower prevalence of CD4 + T cell infiltration and, 5/6 cases presented a PD-L1 CPS ≥ 1. All the HNSCC-associated ESCCs resulted positive for p53 immunostaining in ≥50 % of cancer cells.
CONCLUSION
Our study suggests that HPV infection is not an etiological factor associated to ESCC after HNSCC. On the other hand, p53 overexpression is a common finding. Moreover, our data suggest that an altered immune microenvironment, conditioned by a dysregulation in lymphomonocytic infiltration, may be a crucial factor allowing the occurrence of a metachronous ESCC.
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