OncoTargets and Therapy (May 2022)

Protein Expression of Folate Receptor Alpha in Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of the Head and Neck

  • Schnoell J,
  • Jank BJ,
  • Kadletz-Wanke L,
  • Stoiber S,
  • Gurnhofer E,
  • Schlederer M,
  • Heiduschka G,
  • Kenner L

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 15
pp. 531 – 538

Abstract

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Julia Schnoell,1 Bernhard J Jank,1 Lorenz Kadletz-Wanke,1 Stefan Stoiber,2,3 Elisabeth Gurnhofer,2 Michaela Schlederer,2 Gregor Heiduschka,1,* Lukas Kenner2– 5,* 1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, 1090, Austria; 2Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; 3Christian Doppler Laboratory for Applied Metabolomics, Vienna, Austria; 4Unit of Laboratory Animal Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria; 5CBmed GmbH - Center for Biomarker Research in Medicine, Graz, Styria, Austria*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Lukas Kenner, Department of Experimental Pathology and Laboratory Animal Pathology, Medical University and University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna Waehringer Guertel 18-20, Vienna, A-1090, Austria, Tel +43 1 40400 51720, Email [email protected]: Folate receptor alpha (FRα) is overexpressed in various cancer entities while expression in normal tissue is limited. Thus, FRα is an attractive target in cancer therapy. Currently, various therapeutic and diagnostic approaches are under investigation in clinical trials. The aim of this study was to assess the expression and clinical relevance of FRα in adenoid cystic carcinoma of the head and neck.Patients and Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, 43 patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the head and neck were included. FRα expression was analyzed in tumor tissue and tumor-free margin in a tissue microarray using immunohistochemical staining. Protein levels were correlated with clinical parameters.Results: FRα staining was positive in 47% of ACC patients. The tumor-free margin was positive in 22%. Patients with positive tumor tissue showed positive margin staining in 55%. FRα expression was not associated with the clinical parameters (sex, age, staging, grading, perineural invasion, lymphovascular invasion).Conclusion: FRα expression is common in ACC of the head and neck. Therefore, FRα should be further evaluated as a therapeutic target in ACC.Keywords: folate receptor alpha, adenoid cystic carcinoma, prognosis, targeted therapy, head and neck

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