Evaluation of incidence, significance, and prognostic role of circulating tumor microemboli and transforming growth factor-β receptor I in head and neck cancer.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Circulating tumor microemboli (CTM) are clusters of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), involved in metastasis, as also transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). The purpose of this study was to verify their role in progression-free survival (PFS).

METHODS:

Blood from patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC; n = 53) was analyzed in 2 moments. TGF-β receptor I (TGF-βRI) expression was evaluated by immunocytochemistry.

RESULTS:

Comparing CTM1 (baseline) with CTM2 (first follow-up), patients with CTM1-positive disease who became CTM2-negative were classified as favorable (PFS 20 months). Patients with unfavorable evolution (CTM1-negative/CTM2-positive), had PFS of 17.5 months. Patients always CTM-negative showed PFS of 22.4 months, those always positive, 4.7 months (P < .001). The TGF-βRI expression in the first follow-up correlated with poor PFS (12 × 26 months; P = .007), being an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio [HR] = 6.088; P =  .033).

CONCLUSION:

CTM1/2, TGF-βRI expression, and unfavorable CTM kinetics may represent poor prognosis in locally advanced HNSCC.

• Authors: Marcello Ferretti Fanelli, Thiago Bueno Oliveira, Alexcia Camila Braun, Marcelo Corassa, Emne Ali Abdallah, Ulisses Ribaldo Nicolau, Vanessa da Silva Alves, Daniel Garcia, Vinicius F Calsavara, Luiz Paulo Kowalski, Ludmilla Thomé Domingos Chinen
• Journal: Head & neck (Head Neck) Vol. 39 Issue 11 Pg. 2283-2292 (11 2017) ISSN: 1097-0347 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 28815787 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Chemical References

• Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta
• Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
• Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Brazil
• Carcinoma, Squamous Cell (metabolism, mortality, pathology)
• Cohort Studies
• Disease-Free Survival
• Female
• Head and Neck Neoplasms (metabolism, mortality, pathology)
• Humans
• Incidence
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Neoplasm Staging
• Neoplastic Cells, Circulating (metabolism)
• Proportional Hazards Models
• Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases (metabolism)
• Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I
• Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta (metabolism)
• Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck