[Immunohistological studies on growth potential of head and neck carcinomas]

In order to evaluate the growth potential of head and neck carcinomas, the S-phase cell labeling index (SLI) of biopsied specimens from 106 patients was determined immunohistological examination using anti-BrdU monoclonal antibody. Expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was also investigated in these specimens. The results were statistically compared with clinical findings, and the conclusions were as follows: SLI was higher in advanced cases than in early cases, and it was higher in patients with lymph node metastasis than in those without metastasis. The survival rate showed a strong tendency to be lower for patients with higher SLI. No relationship was found between SLI and origin of head and neck carcinomas. No relationship was found between SLI and differentiation of carcinomas. Expression of EGFR showed no relationship with T classification, but the incidence of positive expression of EGFR was higher in patients with lymph node metastasis than in those without metastasis. Patients positive for EGFR tended to have lower survival rates than EGFR-negative patients. The incidence of positive expression of EGFR was statistically higher in patients with hypopharyngeal carcinoma than in those with other head and neck carcinomas. No relationship was found between the expression of EGFR and differentiation of carcinomas. Patients with positive expression of EGFR showed a strong tendency to have a higher SLI. SLI and the expression of EGFR may well reflect the growth potential of head and neck carcinomas, and it seems very likely that they are can be used to evaluate the oncological characteristics to predict the out come of each case.