Clinical significance of TRAIL and TRAIL receptors in patients with head and neck cancer

Background. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐related apoptosis‐inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a death ligand currently under clinical trials for cancer. The molecular profile of TRAIL and TRAIL receptors has not yet been mapped for patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) or patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC). Methods. Paraffin‐embedded tissues from 60 patients with laryngeal SCC and 14 patients with OCSCC were retrospectively analyzed using immunohistochemistry. Results. An increase in decoy‐R1 (DcR1) but a decrease in decoy‐R2 (DcR2) expression were observed in patients with laryngeal SCC and in patients with OCSCC compared with control individuals with benign lesions. Clinical and pathologic grading revealed distinctive TRAIL and TRAIL receptor profiles in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). Conclusions. TRAIL and a TRAIL receptor expression profile might be useful to follow‐up disease progression by virtue of its connection with clinical staging and pathologic grading in patients with laryngeal SCC. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2010