Prognostic importance of RUNX1 expression for head and neck adenoid cystic carcinoma

Abstract

Objective: In the present study, we aimed to investigate the prognostic value of RUNX1 expression in 76 patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC).

Materials and methods: All cases were arranged in tissue microarray blocks and submitted to immunohistochemistry against RUNX1. These results were statistically correlated with clinicopathologic features, including age, gender, tumour site, tumour size, lymph node status, AJCC clinical stage, distant metastasis, treatment, recurrences, follow-up, histologic pattern, vascular and neural invasion, all of which obtained from patient's medical records.

Results: RUNX1 was expressed in the nuclei of tumour cells, with a mean of 18.1% of positivity. Nuclear RUNX1 expression was significantly associated with AJCC clinical stage (p < .0001), solid histologic pattern (p < .0001), vascular invasion (p < .0001) and presence of local recurrence (p < .0001). Using univariate and multivariate analyses, RUNX1 nuclear expression was significantly associated with a lower disease-free survival (p < .0001 and p = .028, respectively) and disease-specific survival (p < .0001 and p = .018, respectively) rates.

Conclusion: In summary, RUNX1 nuclear expression may represent an indicator of unfavourable outcome for patients affected by head and neck ACC.

Keywords: RUNX1; adenoid cystic carcinoma; prognosis; salivary gland.