Prognostic value of circulating tumor cells with podoplanin expression in patients with locally advanced or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Head Neck. 2015 Oct;37(10):1448-55. doi: 10.1002/hed.23779. Epub 2014 Jul 24.

Abstract

Background: Podoplanin (PDPN) is a prognostic factor for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, PDPN expression in circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and its prognostic value are not clear.

Methods: The PowerMag system was used to enumerate CTCs from 53 patients with HNSCC prechemotherapy and 61 healthy donors. PDPN expression was determined by immunofluorescence staining. Results were correlated with clinicopathological parameters and clinical outcome, such as patient survival by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results: PDPN was expressed in a subset of CTCs. Both EpCAM-positive CTC and PDPN-positive CTC counts were statistically different between the disease and nondisease groups (p < .0001) with no prognostic value. After a median follow-up of 10.5 months (range, 6.6-18.5 months), the PDPN-positive/EpCAM-positive CTC ratio >20% was a significant prognostic factor for death within 6 months (p = .011) and was correlated with poor progression-free survival (p = .016) and overall survival (p = .015).

Conclusion: PDPN-positive/EpCAM-positive CTC ratio is a prognostic factor and defining the ratio in patients with HNSCC might be valuable to clinical management.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01884129.

Keywords: and biomarker; circulating tumor cells; head and neck squamous cell carcinoma; podoplanin; prognosis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism*
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / metabolism*
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / mortality
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / pathology
  • Female
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / mortality
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / pathology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / metabolism*
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / metabolism*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Prognosis
  • Prospective Studies
  • Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck
  • Survival Rate

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • PDPN protein, human

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT01884129