Lack of expression of galectin-3 is associated with a poor outcome in node-negative patients with laryngeal squamous-cell carcinoma.

PURPOSE:

Galectin-3 is a pleiotropic carbohydrate-binding protein participating in a variety of normal and pathologic processes, including cancer progression. This study was aimed at evaluating the prognostic value of galectin-3 expression in node-negative laryngeal squamous-cell carcinoma (SCC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

Galectin-3 expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry using M3/38 monoclonal antibody, in a single-institution series of 73 node-negative laryngeal SCC patients (median follow-up, 52 months; range, 2 to 90 months).

RESULTS:

Forty-two (57.5%) of 73 patients expressed galectin-3. Galectin-3 expression was positively associated with tumor keratinization and histologic grade. A significant correlation was found between galectin-3 tumor positivity and longer relapse-free and overall survival. In univariate analysis, high-grade (grade 3 or 4) tumors, nonkeratinizing tumors, and galectin-3-negative tumors showed a significantly increased risk of relapse and death. In multivariate analysis, only galectin-3 expression retained an independent prognostic significance for both relapse-free and overall survival.

CONCLUSION:

We conclude that the absence of galectin-3 expression is an independent negative prognostic marker in laryngeal SCC patients. Thus, histochemical detection of galectin-3 in these tumors could be useful for the selection of node-negative patients with potentially unfavorable outcomes, to establish adjuvant therapy protocols.