Fig. 1Histologic findings and immunohistochemical staining for E-cadherin, cortactin, and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) in pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia (PEH) (A, C, E, G) and in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (B, D, F, H). PEH shows thin, elongated, reactive epithelial proliferation with intense subepithelial inflammation (A). SCC shows atypical squamous cells with a loss of polarity in the superficial portion (B). Expression of E-cadherin is preserved in PEH (C) but is reduced in SCC (D). PEH is negative for cortactin (E) and MMP-9 (G), whereas SCC shows cytoplasmic expression of cortactin (F) and MMP-9 (H). H&E, hematoxylin and eosin.
Fig. 2Kaplan-Meier survival analysis of squamous cell carcinoma in the head and neck region. Overall survival in groups according to perineural invasion (A), stage (B), and cortactin expression (C). Relapse-free survival in groups according to perineural invasion (D), stage (E), and cortactin expression (F). p-values are determined by comparing survival distributions using the log rank test.
Fig. 3Kaplan-Meier survival analysis of 94 cases of squamous cell carcinoma grouped by combined expression patterns of E-cadherin and cortactin. Overall survival (A) and relapse-free survival (B) in three groups: E-cadherin-preserved/cortactin-negative group [E-cad (+)/Cort (-)], E-cadherin-reduced/cortactin-negative group [E-cad (-)/Cort (-)], and E-cadherin-reduced/cortactin-positive group [E-cad (-)/Cort (+)]. p-values are determined by comparing survival distributions using the log rank test.
Table 1Characteristics of patients with PEH and SCC of the head and neck
Table 2Expression of cortactin, MMP-9, and E-cadherin in SCC and PEH of the head and neck
Table 3Correlation of cortactin, MMP-9, and E-cadherin expression with clinicopathologic factors in resected SCCs of the head and neck
Table 4Clinicopathologic factors and their effects on overall survival and relapse-free survival by univariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis
Table 5Clinocopathologic factors and their effects on overall survival and relapse-free survival by multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis