Transcriptional expression of SLC16A7 as a biomarker of occult lymph node metastases in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Abstract

Purpose: Glucose is the main energy substrate of tumor cells. This study aims to assess whether the transcriptional expression of glucose metabolism-related genes is associated with occult lymph node metastases in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients.

Methods: We examined the transcriptional expression of a panel of glucose metabolism-related genes in a cohort of 53 patients with HNSCC without cervical lymph node involvement at the time of diagnosis (cN0) and subsequently treated with elective neck dissection.

Results: Occult lymph node metastases were found in 37.7% (n = 20) of the patients. Among the analyzed genes, SLC16A7 exhibited the strongest association with the presence of occult lymph node metastases. Patients with occult lymph node metastases (cN0/pN +) had significantly lower SLC16A7 expression values (p = 0.001). Patients with low SLC16A7 expression (n = 17, 32.1%) had a frequency of occult lymph node metastases of 76.5%, while for patients with high SLCA16A7 expression (n = 36, 67.9%) it was 19.4% (P = 0.0001). A multivariable analysis showed that patients with low expression of SLC16A7 had a 12.6 times higher risk of developing occult lymph node metastases.

Conclusion: cN0 HNSCC patients with low SLC16A7 expression had a higher risk of occult lymph node metastases.