The prognostic value of immunohistochemical markers for oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma

The objective of the study was to examine the prognostic value of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), carbonic anhydrase-IX (CA-IX), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), Ki-67, and erythropoietin receptor in patients with oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma. Immunohistochemical analysis of marker expression was performed on tissue samples from 25 patients with tongue squamous cell carcinoma. The Kaplan–Meier method, univariate and multivariate analyses, and the Cox proportional hazards model were used to examine associations between patient and tumor characteristics, and the immunohistochemical results and disease-specific survival. There was no association between the expression of the five markers and disease-specific survival, and there was no statistically significant difference in the hazards ratio according to postoperative radiotherapy. There was no correlation between marker expression and prognosis. There was no association between marker expression and radioresistance or disease-specific survival. Therefore, HIF-1α, CA-IX, COX-2, Ki-67, and erythropoietin receptor are not suitable prognostic markers for tongue squamous cell carcinoma.