Epithelial‐Mesenchymal Transition in HPV‐Positive and ‐Negative Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. (23rd August 2013) - Hatakeyama, Hiromitsu
Abstract : Objectives: High‐risk human papilloma virus (HPV) infection is associated with carcinogenesis in oropharyngeal squamous carcinoma (OSCC), and patients with HPV (+) tumors have significantly favorable prognosis. However, the reason for this good clinical outcome has not been revealed. Epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) causes aggressiveness of cancer cells. We investigated the expression of the EMT markers and analyzed their correlation with HPV status and prognosis to detect the reason HPV (+) OSCCs respond to treatment. Methods: Eighty patients with OSCC were examined in this study. All high‐risk HPV infection were determined with the multiplex PCR kit from each formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded pre‐treatment sample. We performed immunohistochemical staining for E‐cadherin and vimentin and evaluated the results. Expressions of the markers were graded, and the correlation with TNM stages and prognosis was correlated. Results: Twenty‐three of the 80 OSCC tissues were shown to be HPV(+). The 5‐year survival rate for patients with HPV (+) tumors (79.1%) was higher than for those with HPV (‐) tumors (50.7%). Low e‐cadherin expression rate was 56.5% in HPV (+) and 19.2 % in HPV (‐). ( P = 0.019) E‐cadherin expression was not correlated with survival rate in either HPV (+) or (‐). Vimentin expression was correlated with N‐stage in HPV (‐). Conclusions: HPV(+) OSCC originally lost their epithelial cell phenotype compared with HPV(‐). The EMT enhances aggressive behavior in HPV (‐) OSCC but not in HPV (+).