An immunohistochemical study of Fas ligands in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas

Abstract

Fas ligands were immunohistochemically observed in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (27 cases). Eight of the 27 cases exhibited positive staining of Fas ligands in a part of the regional carcinomas. The expression of Fas ligands showed no relationship with either the postoperative TNM levels or the grade of histopathological differentiation.
In addition. no significant relationship was found between the expression of Fas ligands and the efficiency of radiotherapy on palatine tonsil carcinomas. In addition to the carcinoma regions, some cases also showed positive staining for Fas ligands in the surrounding stroma or normal epithelial cells. These results indicated that the apoptosis induced Fas ligands in cancer cells suppressed any cancerous development due to apoptosis. In contrast, both the invasion and metastasis of cancer were promoted by the apoptosis induced Fas ligands in the surrounding stroma and normal epithelial cells.