Immunohistochemical predictors in squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue and floor of the mouth.

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of the immunoexpression of Ki-67, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C, and VEGF-D in predicting follow-up treatment in patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the tongue and floor of the mouth (FOM). METHODS Marker expression was evaluated in surgical specimens taken from 60 patients who underwent surgery because of primary SCC without prior therapy. RESULTS Strong MMP-2 expression was positively correlated with a higher risk of nodal recurrence (p = .047). Strong VEGF-C expression was found in patients with distant metastases (p = .008). Cox's regression model showed high Ki-67, MMP-2, and VEGF-C expression, which were independent predictors of disease-specific survival (p = .001, p = .002, and p < .001, respectively). CONCLUSION It seems that targeting MMP-2 and VEGF-C may improve local control, thereby reducing the risk of distant metastasis in patients with SCC of the tongue and FOM. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E747-E753, 2016.