Abstract:

To explore expressions of transcription factor Ets-1 and phosphorylated-signal transducers and activators of transcription 3(P-STAT3) in hypopharyngeal primary carcinoma and metastatic cervical lymph nodes and to study their correlation with invasion and metastasis of hypopharyngeal carcinoma. MethodsImmunohistochemical staining was adopted to determine expressions of Ets-1 and P-STAT3 protein in 52 cases who had radical resection of hypopharyngeal carcinoma and matched 36 metastatic lymph nodes. ResultsIn 52 cases of hypopharyngeal carcinoma,  expression rates of Ets-1 and P-STAT3 protein were 61.54%(32/52) and 75.00%(39/52). The positive rates of Ets-1 and P-STAT3 in T3 and T4 classification were significantly higher than those in T1 and T2 classification(P<0.05，P<0.01). The positive rates of Ets-1 and P-STAT3 in metastatic lymph nodes were significantly higher than those in non-metastatic lymph nodes(P<0.05). The positive rate of Ets-1 in metastatic lung tissues was significantly higher than that in nonmetastatic lung tissues (P<0.05). In 36 cases of hypopharyngeal carcinoma with metastatic lymph nodes, expression rates of Ets-1 and P-STAT3 protein in metastatic lymph nodes were 47.22% (17/36)　and 58.33% (21/36). The positive rate of P-STAT3 in primary carcinoma was significantly higher than that in metastatic lymph nodes(P<0.01). ConclusionEts-1 and P-STAT3 are over-expressed in hypopharyngeal carcinoma and are closely related to the T classification and cervical lymph node metastasis, expression of Ets-1 is also significantly related to lung metastasis.

Key words: Hypopharyngeal neoplasm; Squamous cell carcinoma; Ets-1; Phosphorylated-STAT3; Invasion; Metastasis