Nuclear beta catenin expression is related to unfavourable outcome in oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Aims-To investigate the expression of alpha, beta, and gamma catenins in or opharyngeal and hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma and their relations to each other, as well as to clinical data, tumour differentiation, and pro gnosis. Methods-Primary tumours for analysis were obtained from 138 patients diagno sed with squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx or hypopharynx between 1 975 and 1998 in eastern Finland. Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate the expression of alpha, beta, and gamma catenins. The expression patterns of all catenins were related to clinical data and survival. Results-The expression patterns of all three catenins were significantly in terrelated. Reduced gamma catenin expression was significantly associated w ith poor histological differentiation. No association was found between alp ha or beta catenin expression and clinicopathological characteristics. In u nivariate analysis, patients whose tumours had nuclear beta catenin express ion had shorter overall survival than patients with no nuclear expression. In Cox multivariate analysis, nuclear beta catenin expression, tumour statu s (T class), and Karnofsky performance index were independent prognostic fa ctors of overall survival. Conclusions-Reduced expression of gamma catenin is associated with dediffer entiation in primary squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx and hypophar ynx. The fact that nuclear beta catenin expression independently predicts s hort overall survival suggests that it might be a valuable prognostic marke r in pharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.