Sharon J Akrish1,2,3,4, Adi Rachmiel1,3, Edmond Sabo2,3, Marilena Vered4, Ofer Ben-Izhak2,3. 1. Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Rambam Medical Center, Bat Galim, Haifa, Israel. 2. Department of Pathology, Rambam Medical Center, Bat Galim, Haifa, Israel. 3. Technion School of Medicine, Bat Galim, Haifa, Israel. 4. Department of Oral Pathology and Oral Medicine, Tel Aviv University School of Dentistry, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are generally associated with negative prognostic factors. This study compares the clinicopathologic impact of CAFs in oral squamous cell carcinoma in patients with a history of proliferative verrucous leukoplakia (p-scca) and patients with conventional squamous cell carcinoma of the buccal mucosa, gingiva, and palate (c-scca). METHODS: A retrospective clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical analysis of 97 tumor specimens from 78 patients (13 patients with proliferative verrucous leukoplakia-associated squamous cell carcinoma (n = 32) and conventional squamous cell carcinoma from the buccal mucosa, gingiva, and palate (n = 65) was conducted. Immunostaining with anti-alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) antibody was used to evaluate the presence of CAFs. RESULTS: α-SMA expression was an infrequent finding in p-scca and seen in only 6% of p-scca compared to 40% of c-scca (P < 0.0004). In the c-scca subgroup, α-SMA significantly correlated with tumor size (T) (P = 0.009), tumor thickness (P < 0.0009), perineural invasion (P = 0.009), and microscopic grade (P = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of CAFs was an infrequent finding in our p-scca cohort which may contribute to its seemingly slower growing and less invasive growth pattern. In the cohort of c-scca patients, higher levels of CAFs correlated with microscopic invasiveness, tumor size, and perineural invasion. Practically, these are important observations as targeting strategies are being developed to combat carcinoma types where CAFs significance has been validated.
BACKGROUND: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are generally associated with negative prognostic factors. This study compares the clinicopathologic impact of CAFs in oral squamous cell carcinoma in patients with a history of proliferative verrucous leukoplakia (p-scca) and patients with conventional squamous cell carcinoma of the buccal mucosa, gingiva, and palate (c-scca). METHODS: A retrospective clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical analysis of 97 tumor specimens from 78 patients (13 patients with proliferative verrucous leukoplakia-associated squamous cell carcinoma (n = 32) and conventional squamous cell carcinoma from the buccal mucosa, gingiva, and palate (n = 65) was conducted. Immunostaining with anti-alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) antibody was used to evaluate the presence of CAFs. RESULTS: α-SMA expression was an infrequent finding in p-scca and seen in only 6% of p-scca compared to 40% of c-scca (P < 0.0004). In the c-scca subgroup, α-SMA significantly correlated with tumor size (T) (P = 0.009), tumor thickness (P < 0.0009), perineural invasion (P = 0.009), and microscopic grade (P = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of CAFs was an infrequent finding in our p-scca cohort which may contribute to its seemingly slower growing and less invasive growth pattern. In the cohort of c-scca patients, higher levels of CAFs correlated with microscopic invasiveness, tumor size, and perineural invasion. Practically, these are important observations as targeting strategies are being developed to combat carcinoma types where CAFs significance has been validated.
Authors: Alexander M Knops; Andrew South; Ulrich Rodeck; Ubaldo Martinez-Outschoorn; Larry A Harshyne; Jennifer Johnson; Adam J Luginbuhl; Joseph M Curry Journal: Front Oncol Date: 2020-11-27 Impact factor: 6.244
Authors: Dimakatso Alice Senthebane; Tina Jonker; Arielle Rowe; Nicholas Ekow Thomford; Daniella Munro; Collet Dandara; Ambroise Wonkam; Dhirendra Govender; Bridget Calder; Nelson C Soares; Jonathan M Blackburn; M Iqbal Parker; Kevin Dzobo Journal: Int J Mol Sci Date: 2018-09-20 Impact factor: 5.923