IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL EVALUATION OF PCADHERIN IN PERILESIONAL AREA OF OSCC

Abstract

Background: New studies have been carried out in understanding the molecular mechanism of OSCC and identifying the molecular markers useful for diagnosing a tumor at an early stage. Diagnosis at an early stage, could be associated with the favorable prognosis and a 5-year survival rate of 60-80%. Aims of the study: To assess P-cad expression at perilesional area of OSCC and correlate such expression to OSCC histopathological grading. Materials and methods: Immunohistochemical evaluation of P-cad expression at perilesional area of 20 OSCC and 10 normal oral mucosa from archival paraffin blocks was done by using mouse monoclonal P-cad antibody. The sections were assessed according to the ability of surface epithelium at perilesional area of OSCC in showing normal expression pattern of P-cad in oral mucosa. Results: The present study showed membranous basal and parabasal expression in all cases of normal oral mucosa while perilesional areas of OSCC revealed high multiple layers expression of P-cad in (45%) , this anomalous expression support the genetic alteration in perilesional area and gave a clue for a common cell clone for both tumor and the adjacent perilesional area. There were multiple layers staining of P-cad in (46.6%) of WDSCC, however, statistical analysis did not reach any significant level in relation to histopathological grading. Conclusion: Increase P-cad expression at the perilesional area has an important initial role in early step of carcinogenesis, and the aberrant expression of P-cad at the perilesional area might have a role in the mode of the invasion and prognosis of oral cancer.