Abstract
The distibution of laminin, type 4 collagen and fibronectin in the head and neck carcinoma tissue were examined using immunohistochemical technique (avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method). We examined 28 primary lesions of head and neck carcinomas before anticancer therapy, and 11 lymph node metastatic lesions with or without preoperative anticancer therapy. Both laminin and type 4 collagen were observed between the carcinoma cell clusters and the surrounding connective tissue. But unlike normal epitherium, they appeared discontinuous, partial or absent in most of the cases. They were observed around the endothelial cells of vessels. In 3 cases no laminin nor type 4 collagen were seen around carcinoma cell clusters. Type 4 collagen was sparesly observed in the connective tissue surrounding carcinoma cell clusters, whereas fibronectin was observed diffusely. Ratio of the length of lamini-positive parts to the entire circumeference of carcinoma cell clusters were measured on a light microscopein each case. Primary lesions of pharyngeal carcinoma and lymph node metastatic lesions had lower ratio than other primary lesions. Primary lesions with the rapio lower than 80% had clinically obvious or subclinical lymph node metastasis, whereas those with no lymphnode metastasis had the ratio higher than 80%.
