Prognostic value of histological and biological markers in pharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma: a case-control study

Between 1980 and 1985, 914 patients with head and neck squamous cell carcin oma underwent lymph node dissection in our institution. The prognostic valu e of clinical factors has already been reported (Mamelle et al, 1994, Am J Surg 168: 494-498). We present here a comparison of biological characterist ics of pharyngeal tumours in patients who developed distant metastasis and in patients without metastasis, matched on tumour site, node site and size, and year of diagnosis. Tumour differentiation, keratinization, vascular em boli, immunohistochemical expression of p53, c-erb-B2, Rb and bcl2 were fir st assessed in 31 pairs of patients. Factors of potential interest were the n determined in 32 additional pairs of patients. Statistical analysis showe d that the risk of distant metastasis was halved in patients with tumours e xpressing c-erb-B2 compared with patients with c-erb-B2-negative tumours (P = 0.05), The significance of c-erb-B2 expression and its potential value a s a prognostic factor is discussed.