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FREQUENCY OF CELLS EXPRESSING CD44, A HEAD AND NECK CANCER STEM CELL MARKER: CORRELATION WITH TUMOR AGGRESSIVENESS HEAD AND NECK-JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENCES AND SPECIALTIES OF THE HEAD AND NECK Joshua, B., Kaplan, M. J., Doweck, I., Pai, R., Weissman, I. L., Prince, M. E., Ailles, L. E. 2012; 34 (1): 42-49

Abstract

We previously identified by flow cytometry a Lineage-CD44+ (Lin-CD44+) subpopulation of cells with cancer stem cell properties in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We now correlate clinical and histologic factors with Lin-CD44+ cell frequency.The study included 31 patients with HNSCC, of whom 87% had stage IV disease. The frequency of Lin-CD44+ cells and the success of xenografting patient tumors in mice were correlated with clinical and pathologic data.The mean frequency of Lin-CD44+ cells was 25% (0.4%-81%). It was 36% in patients who had recurrence versus 15% for those without recurrence (p = .04). Successful xenograft implantation occurred in 53%. Seventy-five percent of patients with successful xenografts had recurrence versus 21% of patients with unsuccessful xenografts (p = .003).Successful xenograft implantation and a high frequency of Lin-CD44+ cells correlate with known poor prognostic factors such as advanced T classification and recurrence. These findings may support the stem cell concept in HNSCC.

View details for DOI 10.1002/hed.21699

View details for PubMedID 21322081