Objective: To investigate the expression and the clinical significance of proto-oncogene cerbB-2 proteins p185 and adhesion molecules CD44v6 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas (LSCC) and the relationship between them.
Method: expression of p185 and CD44v6 was studied by immunohistochemical analysis from 63 cases of LSCC, 20 cases of adjacent safety margin (ASM) and 18 cases of vocal cord polyp(VCP).
Result: There were no expression of p185in VCP, Significant differences (P < 0.05) were observed between the two group; there was significant differences among the different pathologic degree I, II, III; The expression of p185 was not related to age and clinical stage. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were found among LSCC, VCP and ASM; there was no differences between the different pathologic degree I, II, III. The expression of CD44v6 was not related to age and clinical stage. Significant correlation was observed between the expression of p185 and CD44v6 in LSCC.
Conclusion: p185 probably plays an important role during the carcinogenesis and progression process of LSCC. While CD44v6 has the important function only in the carcinogenesis process of LSCC. The expression of p185 and CD44v6 were higher in ASM than in VCP. It indicates that p185 and CD44v6 were probably the unstable factor in ASM which related to the recurrent of laryngeal carcinoma, and they may cooperate with each other.