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Acetylated Tubulin (AT) as a Prognostic Marker in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck

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Abstract

Acetylated tubulin (AT) expression has been proposed as a marker for sensitivity to taxane chemotherapy. We wanted to explore AT as a prognostic marker in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). We assessed AT expression in archival tissue from our institutional tissue bank of primary SCCHN specimens. We also examined AT expression on pre-therapy tissues of patients with SCCHN receiving induction chemotherapy with docetaxel, cisplatin and 5FU (TPF IC). AT expression was assessed on archival cases of SCCHN with (N = 63) and without (N = 82) locoregional lymph node metastases (LNM). The predominant tumor site was oral cavity (52 %). Immunohistochemistry staining was based on staining intensity and percentage of tumor cells stained to create a weighted index (WI). A total of nine patients who received TPF IC were evaluable for response by RECIST and also had pre-therapy tissues available. A significant independent correlation between AT and tumor grade (p = 0.001) and primary location (p = 0.008) was noted. There was a trend of higher AT in patients with presence of LNM (p = 0.052) and a trend in improved OS for patients with an AT WI below the median compared to those above the median for patients with no LNM (p = 0.054). For patients treated with induction TPF, we observed an inverse correlation between AT expression and response to TPF IC (p = 0.0071). AT expression is correlated with tumor grade and primary site. There was an observed trend correlating AT with presence nodal metastases. The observed inverse correlation with response to taxane based chemotherapy needs validation in a larger sample size.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a SPORE CDP Grant P50 CA128613-03 to N.F. Saba and S. Muller and Sanofi-Aventis US; now Sanofi Oncology.

Conflict of interest

None of the authors have any conflict of interest to declare.

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Author notes

  1. Nicholas J. Sarlis

    Present address: Incyte Corporation, Wilmington, DE, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, The Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, 1365 Clifton Rd, Building C, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA

    Nabil F. Saba, Taofeek K. Owonikoko, Carrie Eggers, Suresh S. Ramalingam, Zhuo G. Chen, Dong M. Shin, Fadlo R. Khuri & Adam I. Marcus

  2. Department of Pathology, The Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Kelly R. Magliocca, Susan Muller & Vanessa Phelan

  3. Department of Radiation Oncology, The Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Jonathan J. Beitler

  4. Department of Otolaryngology, The Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA

    William J. Grist & Amy Y. Chen

  5. Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, The Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Sungjin Kim & Zhengjia Chen

  6. Department of Medical Affairs, Oncology-US, Sanofi-Aventis, Bridgewater, NJ, USA

    Nicholas J. Sarlis

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  1. Nabil F. Saba
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Correspondence to Nabil F. Saba.

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Saba, N.F., Magliocca, K.R., Kim, S. et al. Acetylated Tubulin (AT) as a Prognostic Marker in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck. Head and Neck Pathol 8, 66–72 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12105-013-0476-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12105-013-0476-6

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