MASPIN's prognostic role in patients with advanced head and neck carcinoma treated with primary chemotherapy (carboplatin plus vinorelbine) and radiotherapy: preliminary evidence

Abstract

Conclusions: Our very preliminary results support the hypothesis that MASPIN expression in primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) may be a valuable parameter for predicting patients’ responses to a treatment based on carboplatin plus vinorelbine combined with radiotherapy. Objectives: The roles of induction chemotherapy and combined chemoradiotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced unresectable HNSCCs have evolved rapidly. MASPIN has a unique tumour-suppressing activity. Experimental evidence has shown that MASPIN suppresses tumour growth, angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis. We investigated the potential prognostic roles of MASPIN and p53 in a series of HNSCCs treated with carboplatin plus vinorelbine combined with radiotherapy. Patients and methods: Nineteen consecutive stage III or IV HNSCC patients were recruited. The treatment plan consisted of the administration of carboplatin on day 1 and vinorelbine on days 1 and 8. Four weeks later, carboplatin was administered concomitantly with radiation therapy. Expression of MASPIN and p53 was determined immunohistochemically in HNSCC diagnostic biopsies. Results: A significant inverse relation was found between MASPIN expression and cN staging (p=0.003). From a prognostic viewpoint, MASPIN expression was directly correlated with chemoradiotherapy response (p=0.041). Moreover, the log-rank test showed a significant relationship between higher MASPIN expression and longer disease-free survival (p=0.03), overall survival (p=0.006) and disease-specific survival (p=0.007).

• Head and neck carcinoma
• MASPIN
• carboplatin
• vinorelbine
• radiotherapy
• prognosis