Prognostic value of Le(y) and H antigens in oral tongue carcinomas

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.