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Updated: Mar 8, 2026
Intramucosal Inoculation of Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells in Mice for Tumor Immune Profiling and Treatment Response Assessment
Published on: April 22, 2019
Molecular and Epidemiological Insights into Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Biomarker Profiling for Prognostic and
Sana Mirza1,2, Ikram Din Ujjan3, Bin Afshan Syed3
1Department of Oral Pathology, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, Pakistan.
Objective:
To evaluate the expression of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (HER) family members (HER1, HER2, HER3, and HER4), along with Ki-67 and E-cadherin in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), and to determine their prognostic and therapeutic relevance in relation to clinicopathological parameters.
Study Design:
A cross-sectional observational study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Diagnostic and Research Laboratory, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, Pakistan, from September 2023 to September 2025.
Methodology:
Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded OSCC tissue samples (n = 138) were stained with haematoxylin and eosin and classified according to the WHO/Broder's grading system and the AJCC TNM staging system. Immunohistochemistry was performed to evaluate the expression of HER1-HER4, Ki-67, and E-cadherin. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 26, utilising descriptive statistics and chi-square tests, with p <0.05 considered statistically significant.
Results:
The study included 138 OSCC cases, comprising 73.2% males and 26.8% females, with a mean age of 44.7 ± 11.8 years. Buccal mucosa was the most prevalent site (60.99%). HER1 and HER3 were expressed in 79.0% of cases, while HER2 expression was minimal (2.9%). HER3 and HER4 demonstrated significant association with the TNM stage (p <0.05 and p = 0.044, respectively). Ki-67 was highly expressed (88.4%) and significantly correlated with the TNM stage (p = 0.045). E-cadherin showed a significant association with histological grade (p = 0.001).
Conclusion:
HER1 and Ki-67 emerged as strong predictors of tumour aggressiveness, while HER3 and HER4 were linked with advanced disease characteristics. Therapy against these markers could be promising in OSCC.
Key Words:
Oral squamous cell carcinoma, Biomarkers, Prognosis, EGFR family, Therapy.
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