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Galectin-1 is associated with poor prognosis in patients with cutaneous head and neck cancer with perineural spread

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Abstract

Spread of head and neck cancer along the cranial nerves is often a lethal complication of this tumour. Current treatment options include surgical resection and/or radiotherapy, but recurrence is a frequent event suggesting that our understanding of this tumour and its microenvironment is incomplete. In this study, we have analysed the nature of the perineural tumour microenvironment by immunohistochemistry with particular focus on immune cells and molecules, which might impair anti-tumour immunity. Moderate to marked lymphocyte infiltrates were present in 58.8 % of the patient cohort including T cells, B cells and FoxP3-expressing T cells. While human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I and more variably HLA class II were expressed on the tumour cells, this did not associate with patient survival or recurrence. In contrast, galectin-1 staining within lymphocyte areas of the tumour was significantly associated with a poorer patient outcome. Given the known role of galectin-1 in immune suppression, the data suggest that galectin inhibitors might improve the prognosis of patients with perineural spread of cancer.

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Abbreviations

ECM:

Extracellular matrix

HLA:

Human leukocyte antigen

HNC:

Head and neck cancer

MRI:

Magnetic resonance imaging

NKT:

Natural killer T cells

SCC:

Squamous cell carcinoma

TIL:

Tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte

Treg:

Regulatory T cells

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Acknowledgments

We acknowledge the support of the Princess Alexandra Hospital Private Practice Fund.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Princess Alexandra Hospital, 237 Ipswich Road, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, QLD, 4102, Australia

      Sharad Chawla, Timothy A. Warren, Thomas P. C. Martin & Benedict J. Panizza

    2. The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

      Duncan L. J. Lambie & Graham R. Leggatt

    3. QIMR Berghofer Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

      Timothy A. Warren, Leesa F. Wockner & Rajiv Khanna

    4. The University of Queensland School of Medicine, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

      Timothy A. Warren & Benedict J. Panizza

    5. IQ Pathology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

      Duncan L. J. Lambie

    6. Envoi Pathology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

      Ian S. Brown

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    1. Sharad Chawla
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    Graham R. Leggatt and Benedict J. Panizza have contributed equally to this work.

    Graham R. Leggatt and Benedict J. Panizza share last authorship.

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    Chawla, S., Warren, T.A., Wockner, L.F. et al. Galectin-1 is associated with poor prognosis in patients with cutaneous head and neck cancer with perineural spread. Cancer Immunol Immunother 65, 213–222 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00262-015-1788-z

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00262-015-1788-z

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