Fatty acid synthase expression is increased in neoplastic lesions of the oral tongue

Background Fatty acid synthase (FASE) is required for fatty acid synthesis. Elevated levels of FASE have been observed in a variety of malignancies. Methods We examined the expression of FASE in 56 primary squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) of the tongue using immunohistochemistry (IHC) with a monoclonal antibody to FASE. Results Immunoreactivity was low in histologically normal epithelium (0.42 ± .07, n = 43), moderate in mildly dysplastic epithelium (1.41 ± 11, n = 40), and strong in SCC of the tongue (1.64 ± 10, n = 50). Both mild dysplasia and SCC stained more strongly than histologically normal epithelium (p