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. 2024 Apr-Jun;28(2):253-260.
doi: 10.4103/jomfp.jomfp_195_23. Epub 2024 Jul 11.

Immunoexpression of CD44, p16 and VEGF in oral cancer

Priscila Marinho de Abreu  1 , Marcella Sol  2 , Patrícia Roccon Bianchi Molini  3 , Camila Batista Daniel  1 , Danielle Resende Camisasca  3 , Sandra Ventorin von Zeidler  1
Affiliations

Immunoexpression of CD44, p16 and VEGF in oral cancer

Priscila Marinho de Abreu et al. J Oral Maxillofac Pathol. 2024 Apr-Jun.

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to examine the immunoexpression of CD44, p16 and VEGF in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and correlate them to clinicopathological parameters and survival outcomes in order to clarify their prognostic impact.

Material and methods: A total of 68 individuals with OSCC recruited between 2011 and 2015 from two referral centres were enrolled in the study. The samples were placed on silanized glass slides and subjected to immunohistochemistry using anti-p16, anti-CD44 and anti-VEGF antibodies. The H Score was used for p16 and VEGF, while CD44 was scored according to the percentage of stained cells. Chi-square tests and Fisher's exact probability tests were used to compare clinicopathological characteristics according to the immunohistochemical expression, while overall survival and disease-free survival were estimated and compared using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test, respectively. For all hypothesis tests, the level of significance was set at P ≤ 0.05.

Results: No correlation was observed between the expression of tumour VEGF, p16 and CD44, and the clinicopathological characteristics analysed. Patients with high stromal VEGF expression had better disease-free survival than patients with low VEGF expression (P = 0.023).

Conclusion: In summary, P16, CD44 and tumour VEGF did not prove to be good prognostic biomarkers. Stromal VEGF expression is suggested to be a good candidate prognostic biomarker, although additional studies are needed.

Keywords: Biomarker; VEGF; oral squamous cell carcinoma; prognosis.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Immunohistochemical staining of OSCC according to the expression of p16 (a and b), CD44 (c and d), tumour VEGF (e and f) and stromal VEGF (g and h). Original magnification: 40x (a-d) and 20x (e-h)
Figure 2
Figure 2
Kaplan-Meier survival curves according to the immunoexpression levels of p16 (a and b), CD44 (c and d), tumour VEGF (e and f) and stromal VEGF (g and h) in OSCC. (a, c, e, g) Overall survival. (b, d, f, h) disease-free survival
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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