Prognostic markers of oral squamous cell carcinoma: from histopathological features to molecular markers

Abstract

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the eleventh most common solid tumor worldwide, representing about 4% of all malignancies. Despite advances in research and treatment options, the prognosis of patients with OSCC has remained virtually unchanged over recent decades, at 50% over 5 years. This low survival rate is attributed mainly to late diagnosis, poor response to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and insufficient biomarkers for early diagnosis and post-therapeutic monitoring. Thus, elucidating the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind OSCC is mandatory to the development of novel and individualized therapeutic approaches to the disease, which should provide an important impact on patient's survival. In the last years, most of the attention has been driven to mechanisms associated with tumor cell invasion and how the surrounding tumoral stroma may influence it. Previously we have demonstrated that both tumor-released molecules and carcinoma-associated fibroblast (CAF) secretome are able to promote invasion of OSCC cells. Furthermore, we revealed that the combination of two histological parameters associated with cell invasion - tumor budding (B) and depth of invasion (D) - in a score system (BD score) are significant correlated with poor prognosis of OSCCs. The visiting period of Professor Tuula Salo associated with this proposal will allow us a refining the experimental strategies for a better understanding and knowledge of the biological events associate with tumor invasion and disease spread (metastasis), as well as finish up some manuscripts generated in previous collaborations. (AU)