Abstract

Treatment of locally advanced, unresectable head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) often yields only modest results with radiochemotherapy (RCT) as standard of care. Prognostic features related to outcome upon RCT might be highly valuable to improve treatment. Monocarboxylate transporters-1 and -4 (MCT1/MCT4) were evaluated as potential biomarkers. A cohort of HNSCC patients without signs for distant metastases was assessed eliciting 82 individuals eligible whereof 90% were diagnosed with locally advanced stage IV. Tumor specimens were stained for MCT1 and MCT4 in the cell membrane by immunohistochemistry. Obtained data were evaluated with respect to overall (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Protein expression of MCT1 and MCT4 in cell membrane was detected in 16% and 85% of the tumors, respectively. Expression of both transporters was not statistically different according to the human papilloma virus (HPV) status. Positive staining for MCT1 (n = 13, negative in n = 69) strongly worsened PFS with a hazard ratio (HR) of 3.1 (95%-confidence interval 1.6–5.7, p < 0.001). OS was likewise affected with a HR of 3.8 (2.0–7.3, p < 0.001). Multivariable Cox regression confirmed these findings. We propose MCT1 as a promising biomarker in HNSCC treated by primary RCT.

Details

Title
Monocarboxylate transporter-1 (MCT1) protein expression in head and neck cancer affects clinical outcome
Author
Leu, Martin 1 ; Kitz, J 2 ; Pilavakis, Y 3 ; Hakroush, S 2 ; Wolff, H A 4 ; Canis, M 5 ; Rieken, S 1 ; Schirmer, M A 1 

 University Medical Center Göttingen, Clinic of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, Göttingen, Germany (GRID:grid.411984.1) (ISNI:0000 0001 0482 5331) 
 University Medical Center Göttingen, Institute of Pathology, Göttingen, Germany (GRID:grid.411984.1) (ISNI:0000 0001 0482 5331) 
 University Medical Center Göttingen, Clinic of Otorhinolaryngology, Göttingen, Germany (GRID:grid.411984.1) (ISNI:0000 0001 0482 5331) 
 Radiology Munich, Department of Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy, Munich, Germany (GRID:grid.411984.1); University of Regensburg, Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical Center, Regensburg, Germany (GRID:grid.7727.5) (ISNI:0000 0001 2190 5763) 
 Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Munich, Germany (GRID:grid.5252.0) (ISNI:0000 0004 1936 973X) 
Publication year
2021
Publication date
2021
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20452322
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2493254806
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2021. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.