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Updated: May 8, 2026
Establishment of a Clinic-based Biorepository
Published on: May 29, 2017
Evaluation of the prognostic role of pSTAT3 expression in temporal bone squamous cell carcinoma
Gino Marioni1, Raoul Nucci, Filippo Marino
1*Department of Neurosciences, Otolaryngology Section, Padova University Hospital, Padova; †Otorhinolaryngology Division, Legnano Hospital, Legnano; ‡Department of Medicine DIMED, §Pediatric Onco-Hematology Unit, and ∥Department of Neurosciences, Otosurgery Unit, Padova University Hospital, Padova; and ¶Anatomic Pathology Division, Legnano Hospital, Legnano, Italy.
Objective:
Temporal bone squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) accounts for less than 0.2% of all head and neck tumors. Although some progress has been made in treating this aggressive tumor, the prognosis in advanced cases remains poor. More effective therapeutic strategies need to be considered, including receptor-mediated carcinoma-targeted therapy. Phosphorylated STAT3 (pSTAT3) regulates many genes that are necessarily expressed in cancer initiation, development, and progression, being involved in proliferation, anti-apoptosis, invasion, angiogenesis, and immune surveillance evasion. The aim of the present study was to preliminarily investigate the potential prognostic role of pSTAT3 expression in temporal bone SCC.
Study Design:
Retrospective clinicopathologic investigation.
Setting:
Tertiary referral centers.
Patients:
Twenty-five consecutively operated patients with primary temporal bone SCC.
Intervention:
pSTAT3 immunohistochemical expression in primary temporal bone SCCs was assessed with the aid of computer-based image analysis.
Main Outcome Measures:
Conventional clinicopathologic parameters and pSTAT3 expression were correlated with SCC prognosis.
Results:
pT, stage, and surgical margin status were significantly related with recurrence rate (p = 0.002, p = 0.01, and p = 0.047, respectively) and disease-free survival (DFS) (p = 0.0049, p = 0.031, and p = 0.035, respectively). pT classification was also related with disease-specific survival (DSS) (p = 0.035). The SCC recurrence rate did not correlate with pSTAT3 expression. Statistical analyses ruled out any significant difference in DFS or DSS when patients were stratified by pSTAT3 expression (>80.0% or ≤80.0%).
Conclusion:
Despite our preliminary results, the role of pSTAT3 in temporal bone SCC warrants further investigation in larger series because there is increasing evidence in preclinical models to indicate that inhibiting STAT3 phosphorylation can be a useful addition to different anticancer strategies.
Insights
This study investigated phosphorylated STAT3 (pSTAT3) in temporal bone squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Results showed pSTAT3 expression did not correlate with recurrence or survival, suggesting it may not be a prognostic marker in this rare cancer.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Head and Neck Surgery
- Cancer Biomarkers
Background:
- Temporal bone squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a rare and aggressive malignancy.
- Advanced cases have a poor prognosis, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies.
- Phosphorylated STAT3 (pSTAT3) is implicated in various cancer processes, including proliferation and immune evasion.
Purpose of the Study:
- To preliminarily investigate the potential prognostic role of phosphorylated STAT3 (pSTAT3) expression in temporal bone SCC.
- To correlate pSTAT3 expression with clinicopathologic parameters and patient outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 25 consecutively operated patients with primary temporal bone SCC.
- Immunohistochemical assessment of pSTAT3 expression using computer-based image analysis.
- Correlation of pSTAT3 levels with recurrence rate, disease-free survival (DFS), and disease-specific survival (DSS).
Main Results:
- Tumor stage (pT), overall stage, and surgical margin status significantly correlated with recurrence rate and DFS.
- pT classification also related to disease-specific survival (DSS).
- pSTAT3 expression did not show a significant correlation with recurrence rate, DFS, or DSS.
Conclusions:
- pSTAT3 expression was not found to be a significant prognostic factor in this preliminary study of temporal bone SCC.
- Further investigation in larger patient cohorts is warranted due to preclinical evidence supporting STAT3 inhibition in cancer therapy.
- The findings highlight the need for continued research into targeted therapies for temporal bone SCC.
