Prognostic relevance of the proliferation marker REPP86 for laryngeal cancer.

BACKGROUND

There is a clear correlation between proliferative activity and the biological behavior of cancer, which might have an impact on the patients' prognosis and consequences for the individual therapy concept. REPP86 (restrictedly expressed proliferation-associated protein 86) is a proliferation-associated protein expressed in S-, G(2)- and M-phases of the cell cycle, regarded as a promising proliferation marker and has not yet been examined in squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx (SCCL).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

REPP86 was analyzed retrospectively in 104 SCCL using the monoclonal antibody Ki-S2. Proliferative activity was correlated with tumor stage, histopathological grading, patients' survival and the results we recently published on Ki-67 staining in SCCL. Median follow-up time was 47 months.

RESULTS

A significant correlation (p<0.05) between histopathological grading, N-status and proliferation activity was observed. The patient group consisting of low proliferating laryngeal cancer showed a statistically longer absolute (p<0.05) and relapse-free (p=0.001) 5-year survival time than the group with a high proliferating tumor. Compared to the Ki-67 staining results, the REPP86 antibody better predicts the relapse-free 5-year-survival.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that REPP86 staining of SCCL with Ki-S2 is a helpful prognostic indicator for SCCL and better predicts the relapse-free survival than Ki-67 staining in SCCL.