| Author/Editor | Strojan, Primož; Budihna, Marjan; Šmid, Lojze; Svetic, Branka; Vrhovec, Ivan; Kos, Janko; Škrk, Janez | |
| Title | Prognostic significance of cysteine proteinases cathepsins B and L and their endogenous inhibitors stefins A and B in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck | |
| Type | članek | |
| Source | Clin Cancer Res | |
| Vol. and No. | Letnik 6, št. 3 | |
| Publication year | 2000 | |
| Volume | str. 1052-62 | |
| Language | eng | |
| Abstract | Cysteine proteinases cathepsins (Cats) B and L and their endogenous inhibitors stetins (Stefs) A and B are implicated in the processes of local and metastatic tumor spread. They were identified as potential prognosticators in various malignant diseases, particularly in breast cancer. The aim of the present study was to determine the concentrations of Cats B and L and Stefs A and B in the tumor and adjacent normal tissue samples collected from 49 patients (the present group) with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN), using quantitative immunosorbent assays (ELISA; KRKA d.d., Novo mesto, Slovenia). Their clinical significance was compared with that from a previous study (the reference group, 45 patients; Budihna et al., Biol. Chem. Hoppe-Seyler, 377: 385-390, 1996). The follow-up of patients from the latter report was updated for this purpose. In the present group, significantly higher concentrations of Cat B (P < 0.0001), Cat L (P < 0.0001) and Stef A (P = 0.006) were found in tumors compared with concentrations in their normal tissue counterparts. Cat concentrations in normal laryngeal tissue were significantly/margin- ally elevated compared with nonlaryngeal tissue (Cat B, P = 0.02; Cat L, P = 0.06). The tumor concentration of Cat L was found to correlate with pT classification (P = 0.005) and tumor-node-metastasis stage (P = 0.05), whereas the con- centrations of Stefs A and B correlated with pN classification (P = 0.007 and P = 0.03, respectively) and tumor-node-metastasis stage of the disease (P = 0.02 and P = 0.03, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference between low and high Cat B or Cat L groups, regarding either disease-free survival or disease-specific survival, using a minimum P approach to determine cutoff concentrations. (Abstract truncated at 2000 characters). | |
| Descriptors | HEAD AND NECK NEOPLASMS CARCINOMA, SQUAMOUS CELL CATHEPSINS CYSTEINE PROTEINASE INHIBITORS CATHEPSIN B SURVIVAL ANALYSIS |