Clinical significance of osteopontin expression in T1 and T2 tongue cancers

BACKGROUND: Osteopontin (OPN) is considered to be a tumor-related protein associated with tumor aggressiveness and metastasis. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry was used to study the clinical significance of OPN expression in T1 and T2 tongue cancers. RESULTS: Positive OPN expression significantly correlated with higher tumor classification (T) (p = .004), positive nodal classification (N) (p < .001), greater tumor thickness (p < .001), and presence of tumor necrosis (p = .016), respectively. The unfavorable cumulative 5-year disease-free survival rate significantly correlated with positive OPN expression (p < .001), T2 (p = .024), positive N (p < .001), greater tumor thickness (p = .023), and positive tumor necrosis (p = .003). However, taking CD105 into consideration, only CD105 expression was the independent prognostic factor for survival by Cox's regression analysis. CONCLUSION: Overexpression of OPN in the tumors implicated a more aggressive tumor behavior and was an important factor for survival. In addition, there might be relationship between OPN and CD105 expressions in angiogenesis.