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Research Article Open access CC BY 4.0

Predictivity of Human Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase (h-TERT) in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Immunohistochemical Study

Eman Mosaad, Heba Ahmed Elhendawy, Mena Mahfouz, Nadia Abbas Ibrahim El-sissy

Journal of Cancer and Tumor International · pp. 28–41 · Published 23 Dec 2023

10.9734/jcti/2023/v13i3237

Abstract

Aims: Determine the potential role of h-TERT as a prognostic marker for oral squamous cell carcinoma by evaluating its immunohistochemical expression in different OSCC histologic grades in comparison with normal oral mucosa. Study Design: A retrospective study. Place and Duration: Oncology Center, Mansoura University, and Oral Pathology Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Mansoura University. The worked sample selected from the years (2015-2019). Methodology: Our study was accomplished on 30 OSCC cases and a control group of normal oral mucosa. Histopathologic grading of OSCCs was made using the WHO grade and Anneroth`s grading systems. Immunohistochemical expression of h-TERT was assessed in relation to different clinicopathological parameters. The data was analyzed using Pearson`s chi-square test to compare the differences between groups. Spearman's correlation co-efficiency test was used to test the association between different variables. A P value ≤ 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: A significant increased h-TERT expression was recorded from normal to OSCC groups (P=0.000). Additionally, elevated h-TERT expression was significantly correlated with the higher carcinoma histologic grade (P =0.025). There were high statistically significant differences in h-TERT expression concerning the parameters; Anneroth pattern of invasion (P= 0.049), depth of invasion (DOI, P=0.024), and lymphoplasmacytic infiltration (LPI, P=0.009). There were no statistically significant differences in h-TERT immunoexpression considering the clinical parameters; patient age, gender, anatomical sites, clinical shape of lesion, T, N, M, and TNM stages (Chi-square test, P values were > 0.05). Conclusions: Increased h-TERT immunoexpression from normal to OSCC groups suggests its involvement in malignant transformation. Additionally, the significant differential expression of h-TERT among different OSCC histologic grades signaling its valuable use as a biomarker for assessing the cellular malignant progression of oral carcinomas, but unreliable as a clinical tumor progression marker. Moreover, the significant correlation of h-TERT expression with LPI, DOI and pattern of invasion indicating its possible reliable role in tumor host relation during multistage carcinogenesis.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma human telomerase reverse transcriptase immunohistochemistry predictive marker

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