Abstract:

 Objective   To investigate  expressions and implications of breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP/ABCG2) and NF-κB p65 in hypopharyngeal cancer. Method   SP immunohistochemical technique was used to detect  expressions of ABCG2 and NF-κB p65 in the samples of 40 hypopharyngeal cancers and 10 normal hypopharyngeal mucosa. Results   Positive expressions of ABCG2 and NF-κB p65 were found in 65.0% and 72.5% hypopharyngeal cancer, respectively, which were significantly higher than those in normal hypopharyngeal mucosa(P<0.05). Positive expression of ABCG2 was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis (P<0.01). Expression of NF-κB p65 was positively correlated with clinical stage, differentiation level or lymph node metastasis (P<0.05), but not with patient′s gender or age. Furthermore, positive expression of ABCG2 was significantly correlated  with expression of NF-κB p65 (P<0.01). Conclusion   In hypopharyngeal carcinoma, ABCG2 and NF-κB p65 are over-expressed. There is significant correlation between  expressions of ABCG2 or NF-κB p65 and lymph nodes metastasis, which implies that both play important roles in enhancing metastasis, proliferation and multidrug resistance of hypopharyngeal carcinoma.

Key words: Hypopharyngeal neoplasm; ABCG2; NF-κB p65; Immunohistochemistry