Kimura Shoichi, Aoki Mikiko, Nishi Kensuke, Takeuchi Toranoshin, Yamano Takafumi, Sakata Toshifumi, Tsunoda Toshiyuki, Hamasaki Makoto
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Fukuoka University Hospital and School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.
Department of Pathology, Fukuoka University Hospital and School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.
Anticancer Res. 2025 Aug;45(8):3511-3522. doi: 10.21873/anticanres.17712.
BACKGROUND/AIM: Oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) is the most common malignancy of the oral cavity, characterized by aggressive clinical behavior and poor prognosis. Despite treatment advancements, patient survival rates remain unsatisfactory. CD155, an immunoglobulin superfamily member, has been implicated in tumor progression and immune evasion, with its interaction with TIGIT serving as a potential therapeutic target. This study explored the association of CD155 and TIGIT expression with tumor budding (TB) and prognosis in OTSCC.
We retrospectively reviewed the clinicopathological data of patients with primary OTSCC who underwent surgical treatment at Fukuoka University Hospital from April 2002 to December 2021. The inclusion criteria were the availability of pre-treatment tissue specimens and adherence to a consistent treatment strategy. Patients with prior chemotherapy or radiation therapy, unavailable specimens, or non-compliance with the treatment protocol were excluded. CD155 and TIGIT expression levels were assessed with immunohistochemistry assays, and TB was graded.
Overall, 35 patients with OTSCC (60% male, mean age 67.1 years) were included. The median follow-up period was 35.1 months. High-grade CD155 expression was observed in eight patients (22.9%), while high TIGIT expression was noted in 13 patients (43.3%). High TB was significantly associated with high CD155 and high TIGIT expression. Patients with high CD155 expression had significantly shorter overall survival (median 21 months 36 months for CD155-low), as did patients with high TIGIT expression (median 22 months 37 months for TIGIT-Low) and those with TB-High (median 20 months 38 months for TB-Low).
CD155 and TIGIT are potential prognostic biomarkers and may serve as therapeutic targets in OTSCC. Our study highlights the importance of evaluating these markers to improve patient stratification and treatment approaches.
背景/目的：口腔舌鳞状细胞癌（OTSCC）是口腔最常见的恶性肿瘤，其临床行为具有侵袭性，预后较差。尽管治疗取得了进展，但患者生存率仍不尽人意。CD155是一种免疫球蛋白超家族成员，与肿瘤进展和免疫逃逸有关，其与TIGIT的相互作用是一个潜在的治疗靶点。本研究探讨了CD155和TIGIT表达与OTSCC中肿瘤芽生（TB）及预后的关系。
我们回顾性分析了2002年4月至2021年12月在福冈大学医院接受手术治疗的原发性OTSCC患者的临床病理资料。纳入标准为有治疗前组织标本且遵循一致的治疗策略。排除曾接受过化疗或放疗、标本不可用或未遵守治疗方案的患者。采用免疫组织化学法评估CD155和TIGIT表达水平，并对TB进行分级。
共纳入35例OTSCC患者（男性占60%，平均年龄67.1岁）。中位随访期为35.1个月。8例患者（22.9%）观察到高等级CD155表达，13例患者（43.3%）观察到高TIGIT表达。高等级TB与高CD155和高TIGIT表达显著相关。CD155高表达患者的总生存期显著缩短（CD155低表达患者中位生存期为36个月，高表达患者为21个月），TIGIT高表达患者（TIGIT低表达患者中位生存期为37个月，高表达患者为22个月）及TB高等级患者（TB低等级患者中位生存期为38个月，高等级患者为20个月）也是如此。
CD155和TIGIT是潜在的预后生物标志物，可能成为OTSCC的治疗靶点。我们的研究强调了评估这些标志物以改善患者分层和治疗方法的重要性。
