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Updated: Feb 16, 2026

A Model for Perineural Invasion in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Published on: January 5, 2017
Focal adhesion kinases in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Anacláudia P C Flores1, Kelly B Dias1, Laura Campos Hildebrand1
1Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Background:
Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) phosphorylation contributes to the regulation of growth factors that promote cellular adhesion, mobility, and survival, being a key factor in tumor development. The objective of this study was to evaluate the immunohistochemical expression patterns of FAK and its phosphorylated forms, FAK Tyr-576 and FAK Tyr-925, in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and non-neoplastic adjacent epithelial tissue (AE).
Methods:
The percentage of immunohistochemistry stained cells and its correlation with clinicopathological variables and prognosis were determined using samples from 54 patients.
Results:
FAK, FAK Tyr-576, and FAK Tyr-925 overexpression was observed in tumor zones and AE. FAK Tyr-576 immunostaining showed a relationship with tumor clinicopathological parameters. Moreover, positive immunostaining of FAK Tyr-576 in AEsue was associated with patients prognoses.
Conclusions:
Increased expression of FAK Tyr-576 could enable identification of tumors with a more aggressive behavior and epithelial alterations before the appearance of clinical or histological manifestations.
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