Expression Of Caveolin-1 Protein And Its Clinical Singnificance In Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

objective: In order to explore between the expression of caveolin-1 and clinicopathological significance in oral squamous cell carcinoma, Caveolin-1 was detected in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Mothods: Caveolin-1 expression was detected in 78 cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma and 40 cases of normal oral mucosa using SABC immunohistochemistry. The clinical and pathological data of the patients were collected and used to make statistical analysis.Results: Both in the caveolin-1-positive tumors and in the normal oral mucosa, the caveolin-1 protein was localized in the cell membrane and/or cytoplasm. The positive of caveolin-1 expression was 75.64% (59/78)in oral squamous cell carcinoma, while the normal oral mucosa had lower caveolin-1 expression (7.50%, p＜0.001). The positive rates of caveolin-1 expression in the gradeⅠ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ,of oral squanous cell carcinoma were 47.62%,79.17%,90.90%, respectively, which had a significant difference(p＜0.05). The positive rates of caveolin-1 expression in stagesⅠ～Ⅱ,Ⅲ～Ⅳwere 63. 89%,85. 71%, respectively, which had a significant difference (p＜0.05). In addition, lymph node metastasis was present in 44.07% of caveolin-1(+) primary oral squamous cell carcinoma, but only in 5.26% of caveolin-l(-) primary oral squamous cell carcinoma(p＜0.01). No relation was found both the expression of caveolin-1 and clinicopathologic factors including gender, age, growth pattern, site. Remarkably, high degree expression of caveolin-1 protein was observed in oral squamous cell carcinoma, and the poorly differentiated oral squamous cell carcinoma showed the highest positive rate.Conclusions: Oral squamous cell carcinoma overexpressed caveolin-1 ,and the increased caveolin-1 protein expression might play a certain role in the progression of malignant tumor. The expression of caveolin-1 protein has signifinancantly correlation with the pathologic grades, clinic stage and lymph node metastasis of oral squanous cell carcinoma, and caveolin-1 may be a novel carcinoma biomarker, which may be a good prognostic indicator for patients with this disease.