Radiosensitivity of squamous cell carcinoma metastases to the neck assessed by immunocytochemical profiling of fine-needle aspiration biopsy cell specimens: A pilot study
Received 1 June 2009; received in revised form 30 August 2009; accepted 2 September 2009. published online 22 October 2009.
Abstract
Purpose
To assess radiosensitivity of neck metastases of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) by immunocytochemical profiling of fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) cell specimens.
Patients and methods
Immunocytochemical reactions to p53, cyclin D1, stefin A and Ki-67 were determined in FNAB cell samples of neck metastases from 21 patients treated with concomitant chemoradiotherapy and correlated to clinical characteristics and response to therapy.
Results
Six (28.6%), eight (38.1%), 15 (71.4%) and nine (42.9%) FNAB cell samples were classified as p53, cyclin D1, stefin A and Ki-67 positive, respectively. Statistically significant predictors of favorable nodal response to chemoradiation were p53 (P=0.025) and cyclin D1 (cytoplasmic fraction, P=0.048) negativity and Ki-67 positivity (P=0.045). Regional recurrence correlated with low Ki-67 immunoreactivity. A favorable profile of cyclin D1 and Ki-67 (one or both of the two) further improved the predictive strength of these markers.
Conclusions
FNAB is a non-invasive, simple and cheap procedure, which could serve simultaneously for diagnostic purposes and for radiosensitivity testing. Immunocytochemical determination of cyclin D1 and Ki-67 in FNAB cell samples from neck metastases of SCCHN seems to be a valuable marker for predicting regional response to radiotherapy and might assist when deciding on appropriate primary therapy.
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