Galectin-3 is a member of the B-galactoside-binding mammalian lectin family with affinity to cell surface and extracellular polylactosamine glycans. It has been shown to be involved in differentiation, morphogenesis, tumor progression, and metastasis. Objectives: Identification of correlative involvement of galectin-3 in the neoplastic progression of patients suffered from laryngo-hypopharyngeal cancer. Materials and method: paraffin-embedded histopathological samples were collected from 56 patients diagnosed laryngo-hypopharyngeal cancer and surgically treated in Oncology Department (National ENT Hospital) from 3/2003 to 3/2005. Galectin-3 expression was analyzed by the immunohistochemical method in 56 laryngo-hypopharyngeal specimens (54 squamous cell carcinomas and 9 specimens of distinct normal mucosa). Results: Galectin-3 expression was found in 27/56 pathological samples (48,2 percent). The average of colored-density percentage was 18 percent (ranged from 5 percent to 90 percent). The average colored-dye index was 0.39 (ranged from 0 to 2.7) with significant difference between research samples and controlled group (p0.05). Expression of galectin-3 was increased in those subgroups: elderly patients (more than 60 years old), tumor in hypopharyngeal zone, tumor with extra-glottic involvement, nodal metastasis N2-N3, advanced stage S3-S4, histological grade II-III. All the results were discussed. These results suggest that the expression of galectin-3 in histopathological samples of neoplastic progression may serve as a diagnostic as well as prognostic factor for laryngo-hypopharyneal cancer patients.
- Đăng nhập để gửi ý kiến