Eps8 expression is significantly lower in p16+ head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) compared to p16− HNSCC

Publication date: Available online 28 October 2017
Source:Human Pathology
Author(s): Elham Nasri, Lisa B. Wiesen, Jacquelyn A. Knapik, Kristianna M Fredenburg
In vitro head and neck cancer studies have demonstrated that epidermal growth factor receptor kinase substrate 8 (Eps8) overexpression contributes to squamous carcinogenesis. Oral squamous cell carcinoma studies have correlated Eps8 expression with metastatic disease and poor prognosis. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) studies comparing its expression by anatomic site or in in vivo regional metastases have not been performed. In this study, we compared Eps8 expression in HNSCCs arising in the oral cavity (OCSCC) and oropharynx (OPSCC) along with their corresponding regional lymph nodes (LNs) metastases. We then correlated our findings with clinicopathologic data including TNM stage, p16 status, age, gender, and smoking and alcohol history. Eps8 immunohistochemistry was performed on 69 archived OCSCCs and OPSCCs, and 24 paired and 4 unpaired LNs. Expression was scored from 0–3. Eps8 expression was detected in 49% of combined OCSCCs and OPSCCs cases. We found that expression correlated with advanced tumor stage (P=.022) and p16 status (P=.032), but not with anatomic site. Notably, p16+ HNSCCs had significantly lower Eps8 expression than p16- HNSCCs. No significant difference was observed between primary HNSCCs and their corresponding metastatic LNs. Neither p16 status nor anatomic site influenced Eps8 expression in regional LN metastases. In conclusion, our data offers in vivo support that, in HNSCCs, Eps8 is involved in tumor invasion but not necessarily the development of regional LN metastasis. The association between low Eps8 expression and p16+ HNSCCs suggests that alternative signaling pathways may be utilized for their tumorigenesis.



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