Evaluation and Prognostic Significance of Galectin-3 Expression in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

In squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity, factors that can predict prognosis are being studied. However, new prognostic factors are needed to provide information on the biological properties of tumors. Galectin-3 is known to be involved in many biological events such as cell adhesion and differentiation, angiogenesis, apoptosis, tumorigenesis, and metastasis. In our study, the prognostic role of galectin-3 expression in squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity was investigated.

The study included 60 patients with a diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity. The demographic characteristics of the patients were compiled from the patient files. Galectin-3 expression was studied immunohistochemically. Cytoplasmic and nuclear expressions of galectin-3 were evaluated separately. In addition, the total expression score was calculated by multiplying the percentage and intensity scores for each cases. The critical expression score was determined according to the median value of the total scores.

Among 60 cases, 28 tumors were located on the lip, 21 on the tongue, 4 on the floor of the mouth, 3 on the orobuccal mucosa, 3 on the retromolar trigone, and 1 on the gingivobuccal junction. There was no statistically significant relationship between prognosis and nuclear or cytoplasmic galectin-3 expression. Tumor grade and invasion pattern were found to be associated with the galectin-3 total expression score.

Although galectin-3 total expression score was correlated with the tumor grade and invasion pattern, it is not associated with overall survival or recurrence rates. However, there is a need for a large series of cases in which methods are standardized in order to clarify the prognostic role of galectin-3 expression in oral squamous cell carcinomas.