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. 2010 Oct 30:2:30.
doi: 10.1186/1758-3284-2-30.

Prognostic significance of nuclear survivin expression in resected adenoid cystic carcinoma of the head and neck

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Prognostic significance of nuclear survivin expression in resected adenoid cystic carcinoma of the head and neck

Yoon Ho Ko et al. Head Neck Oncol. .

Abstract

Objectives: The expression of survivin, an inhibitor of apoptosis, in tumor cells is associated with poor clinical outcome for various cancers. We conducted this study to determine survivin expression in patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the head and neck and to identify its clinical significance as a prognostic factor.

Materials and methods: We performed immunohistochemical staining for survivin, p53, bcl-2 protein, and Ki-67 in formalin fixed, paraffin-embedded blocks from 37 cases of head and neck ACC. We also reviewed the patients' clinical records to determine the association of staining with clinical course.

Results: Of the 37 cases of head and neck ACC, 31 (83.8%) were positive for cytoplasmic survivin expression, and 23 (62.2%) were positive for nuclear survivin expression. There was a significant association between nuclear survivin expression and bcl-2 (P = 0.031). A larger tumor was more commonly a survivin-positive tumor (cytoplasmic survivin, P = 0.043; nuclear survivin, P = 0.057). Median overall survival (OS) was significantly longer in patients not expressing nuclear survivin (P = 0.035). A multivariate analysis revealed that nuclear survivin expression significantly impacted OS (hazard ratio 8.567, P = 0.018) in addition to lymph node involvement (hazard ratio 7.704, P = 0.016).

Conclusions: The immunohistochemical expression of nuclear survivin has a prognostic impact in patients with head and neck ACC. These results suggest that nuclear survivin expression may be a useful biomarker for predicting prognosis in patients with head and neck ACC who were treated with surgical resection.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Immunohistochemical staining for survivin, bcl-2, p53, and Ki-67 in adenoid cystic carcinomas. (A) Most tumor cells showed diffuse nuclear and cytoplasmic staining for survivin (staining score, 3). (B) Bcl-2 was expressed diffusely in the cytoplasm of tumor cells. The tumor cells showed positive nuclear staining for p53 (C) and Ki-67 (D). Original magnifications ×400, A-D.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Kaplan-Meier survival estimate for overall survival of patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma according to survivin expression.

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