Contrary melanoma-associated antigen-A expression at the tumor front and center: A comparative analysis of stage I and IV head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

There is a growing body of evidence indicating that several melanoma-associated antigen-A (MAGE-A) subgroups contribute to the malignancy of head and neck cancer. The present study retrospectively analyzed the expression of all known MAGE-A subgroups in the tumor front and center of 38 head and neck cancer patients (Union for International Cancer Control stage I or IV) by immunohistochemistry. MAGE-A1, -A6, -A8, -A9 and -A11 were expressed at significantly higher levels at the tumor front of stage IV specimens compared with the tumor front of stage I specimens. In stage I cancer, the tumor center and front ratio (C/F ratio) for each subgroup was >1.0. In stage IV cancer, the C/F ratio was <1.0 in 9/11 subgroups. The most significant change in the expression pattern was observed for MAGE-A11. These results indicated that there is a marked alteration and shift to the invasive front of almost all MAGE-A subgroups, but particularly MAGE-A11, during the progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.