β-Catenin Expression in Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinomas: Comparison and Correlation with p16 and Human Papillomavirus in situ Hybridization.

Titleβ-Catenin Expression in Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinomas: Comparison and Correlation with p16 and Human Papillomavirus in situ Hybridization.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2015
AuthorsNwanze J, Cohen C, Schmitt AC, Siddiqui MT
JournalActa Cytol
Volume59
Issue6
Pagination479-84
Date Published2015
ISSN1938-2650
KeywordsAutomation, Laboratory, beta Catenin, Biomarkers, Tumor, Biopsy, Fine-Needle, Carcinoma, Squamous Cell, Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16, DNA, Viral, Human Papillomavirus DNA Tests, Humans, Immunohistochemistry, In Situ Hybridization, Neoplasm Staging, Oropharyngeal Neoplasms, Papillomaviridae, Papillomavirus Infections, Predictive Value of Tests
Abstract

BACKGROUND: The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway has been noted to be upregulated in head and neck cancers, including oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). This study compared the efficacy of β-catenin immunohistochemistry (IHC), p16 IHC and automated human papillomavirus (HPV) in situ hybridization (ISH) in OSCC.

METHODS: Sixty-eight OSCCs (48 surgical specimens and 20 fine-needle aspirations) were evaluated. Nuclear staining only of β-catenin was assessed as 0-3+ intensity (relative to controls of benign squamous mucosa). p16 was interpreted as positive if 70% of tumor cells showed brown nuclear and cytoplasmic staining. HPV ISH was interpreted as positive if a minimum of one tumor cell showed brown punctate dot-like nuclear positivity. p16 IHC and HPV ISH were then correlated with β-catenin staining. HPV ISH was used as the gold standard.

RESULTS: Twenty-five of 48 surgical specimens (52.1%) and 11 of 20 cell blocks (55%) stained positively for β-catenin, making a total of 36 of 68 (52.9%) staining positively for β-catenin, as compared to 61.7% positive for p16 IHC and 70.6% positive by automated HPV ISH, the gold standard method for OSCC diagnosis. x03C7;2 analysis revealed no significant correlation between β-catenin and HPV ISH (p > 0.05) and demonstrated a strong correlation between p16 and HPV ISH (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: β-Catenin IHC is not a sensitive or specific marker of HPV and is unlikely to be a useful adjunct to p16 IHC or HPV ISH in the setting of advanced OSCC. However, as this study focused on samples of advanced OSCC, β-catenin IHC may still find some use in the diagnosis of early-stage OSCC.

DOI10.1159/000443602
Alternate JournalActa Cytol
PubMed ID26849661
Related Faculty: 
Momin Siddiqui, M.D.

Pathology & Laboratory Medicine 1300 York Avenue New York, NY 10065 Phone: (212) 746-6464
Surgical Pathology: (212) 746-2700