J Pathol Transl Med.  2016 Jul;50(4):264-269. 10.4132/jptm.2016.04.24.

Significance of Parafibromin Expression in Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinomas

• Cho I
• Lee M
• Lim S
• Hong R

• KMID: 2345548
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4132/jptm.2016.04.24

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Parafibromin is a product of the tumor suppressor gene that has been studied as a potential indicator of tumor aggressiveness in the parathyroid, breast, colorectum, and stomach. However, the clinical significance and potential function of parafibromin expression in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas remain largely unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of parafibromin in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) and to verify its potential as a biomarker of tumor behavior.
METHODS
Parafibromin expression was evaluated in 30 cases of LSCC using immunohistochemistry. The correlations between parafibromin expression and clinicopathologic parameters were investigated.
RESULTS
Parafibromin expression was positive in 15 cases (50%) and negative in 15 cases (50%). Tumor size and T stage showed a statistically significant inverse relationship with parafibromin expression (p=.028 and p<.001, respectively). Parafibromin expression was not associated with age, sex, lymph node metastasis, tumor differentiation, or tumor location. There was no statistically significant relationship between parafibromin expression and progression-free survival in the patients (p>.05).
CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that the downregulation or loss of parafibromin expression can be employed as a novel marker of tumor progression or aggressiveness in LSCC.

Keyword

Parafibromin; Carcinoma, squamous cell; Epithelial-mesenchymal transition

MeSH Terms

Breast
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell*
Disease-Free Survival
Down-Regulation
Epithelial Cells*
Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
Genes, Tumor Suppressor
Head
Humans
Immunohistochemistry
Lymph Nodes
Neck
Neoplasm Metastasis
Stomach

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1. Parafibromin expression in squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx. (A) Parafibromin expressed in the basal layer of normal laryngeal mucosa. (B) Parafibromin-positive staining is expressed in the nuclei of tumor cells. (C) Occasionally, parafibromin positivity is observed in the periphery of the tumor nest. (D) Representative image of parafibromin-negative staining.

• 

  Fig. 2. Kaplan-Meier curves of progression-free survival in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients according to parafibromin expression status. There is no statistically significant relationship between parafibromin expression and the progression-free survival of the patients (p>.05).

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