Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Multi-photon Imaging of Tumor Cell Invasion in an Orthotopic Mouse Model of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Published on: July 25, 2011
Akt activation correlates with adverse outcome in tongue cancer
Erminia Massarelli1, Diane D Liu, J Jack Lee
1Department of Head & Neck/Thoracic Medical Oncology, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
Background:
Recent data have shown a significant association between phosphorylated-Akt (p-Akt) and failure of local disease control by radiation therapy in head and neck squamous carcinoma (HNSCC), and also that Akt activation correlates with histologic progression of HNSCC from premalignant lesions to invasive cancer. This study evaluated the role of Akt in previously untreated preneoplastic lesions of oral cavity and invasive tongue carcinoma on patient outcome and cancer development.
Methods:
PKB/Akt activation was assessed by immunohistochemistry using a phosphorylation state-specific antibody (Ser 473) in tongue cancer and preneoplastic specimens of oral cavity.
Results:
The expression of p-Akt was detected in 24 (46%) of the 52 available tongue cancer cases and in 10 (45%) of the 22 available preneoplastic lesions. In tongue cancer, with a median follow-up of 7.3 years, p-Akt was highly expressed in the cases that relapsed (15 of 17, 88%) or died of cancer (10 of 12, 83%). Disease-free survival was significantly shorter in cases with Akt expression (log rank test, P < 0.0001) independently of the stage and nodal status.
Conclusions:
Expression of p-Akt correlated with worse outcome in patients with tongue cancer. This finding highlights the potential role of Akt as a prognostic marker and as a potential target for molecular therapeutics.
Related Concept Videos
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
The mTOR pathway or the...
Assessment of the Mouth
Mouth Inspection
The inspection begins with visually examining the mouth for symmetry, color, and size.
lncRNA - Long Non-coding RNAs
Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
Tumor Progression
Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...
Tumor Progression
Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...