Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Factors associated with the expression of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) biomarkers "CD16, CD57, TGF-β1, and MED15" are not assessed, except in few controversial studies of some of these biomarkers. This study aimed to highlight factors that can correlate with tumoral overexpression of these biomarkers. METHODS: In this genetically-matched case-control study, biomarker expressions in all available OSCC tissues and their adjacent normal tissues at the National Tumor Center (n = 384 (4 biomarkers × (48 cancers + 48 controls))) were measured using qRT-PCR. Factors associated with tumoral overexpression of CD16, CD57, TGF-β1, and MED15 (compared to the benign control) were evaluated, using log-level multiple linear regressions and Spearman (α = 0.05). RESULTS: Tumoral CD16 upregulation was observed in younger patients (β = -0.284, P=0.040) and cigarette smokers (β = 0.397, P=0.005). Tumoral CD57 was upregulated in males (β = 0.341, P=0.008), smokers (β = 0.401, P=0.002), and cases without vascular invasion (β = -0.242, P=0.042). Tumoral TGF-β1 was elevated in smokers (β = 0.452, P=0.001) and smaller tumors (β = -0.322, P=0.045). Tumoral MED15 was overexpressed in smokers (β = 0.295, P=0.036) and cases lacking perineural invasion (β = -0.394, P=0.007). CONCLUSION: As the most consistent finding, smoking might be positively associated with tumoral overexpression of all biomarkers. Tumoral increase in CD57 might be positively associated with metastasis while being negatively correlated with vascular and lymphatic invasion. Tumor size might be negatively associated with tumoral TGF-β1 expression.