Digital scoring of EpCAM and slug expression as prognostic markers in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

ABSTRACT: Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) have poor clinical outcome owing to therapy resistance and frequent recurrences that are among others attributable to tumor cells in partial epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (pEMT). We compared side-by-side software-based and visual quantification of immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining of epithelial marker EpCAM and EMT regulator Slug in n = 102 primary HNSCC to assess optimal analysis protocols. IHC scores incorporated expression levels and percentages of positive cells. Digital and visual evaluation of membrane-associated EpCAM yielded correlating scorings, whereas visual evaluation of nuclear Slug resulted in significantly higher overall scores. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard analysis defined the median EpCAM expression levels r

SUBMITTER: Schinke H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8024715 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature