Critical analysis of cytokeratin expression in angiolymphatic invasion of tongue squamous cell carcinoma: a clinical-pathologic correlation

• Grant number: 18/25115-9
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): February 01, 2019
• Effective date (End): November 30, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry
• Principal researcher: Silvia Vanessa Lourenço
• Grantee: José Martins Figueredo Junior
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia (FO). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common neoplasm of the oral cavity, and the tongue is the most affected structure. The lesions present various degrees of differentiation and metastatic dissemination, with worst prognostic as less differentiated and more disseminated, with several esthetic and functional damages to the patient. Many mechanisms of SCC development are unclear. Cytokeratins (CKs) are proteins which compose the cell cytoskeleton and play a lot of functions in the cell. The tumor cells generally keep the cytokeratin expression similar to original epithelial tissue, which are used as biomarkers for determinate the tumor aggressivity level. Modifications in this expression pattern could be a hypothesis to explain the invasion in specific structures. The objective of this study is to verify if the expression of CK5, CK14, CK16, CK18 and CK19 in angiolymphatic invasion of tongue squamous cell carcinoma, selected from the Archives of Pathological Anatomy Laboratory of HC-FMUSP and, if possible, correlate the clinical, histologic and pathologic results.