A potential new biomarker in HNSCC: metastasis suppressor protein 1 (MTSS1)

Metastasis suppressor protein 1 (MTSS1) is a prognostic tumour marker in different malignant epithelial tumour entities and previously mainly the MTSS1 expression was analysed. This study evaluated the best analysis method as a prognosis and aggressiveness tumour marker in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

MTSS1 expression, MTSS1 intensity, interpretation MTSS1 score and MTSS1 edging score were analysed in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue slices of 60 patients with proven HNSCC and correlated with clinical and pathological outcome parameters.

A lack of MTSS1 expression showed tumour aggressiveness, but surprisingly, mainly MTSS1 intensity was correlated with a worse patient outcome. There was a significant correlation between higher MTSS1 intensity and an increased risk for lymph node metastasis (P = .027) and a significant increased risk for extracapsular growth (P = .016). Furthermore, disease-specific survival was worse in cases with higher MTSS1 intensity (P = .001).

MTSS1 intensity has a high scientific potential for further studies and could potentially be used as a prognostic marker in diagnostic and therapeutic decision-making.