Role of survivin expression in laryngeal leukoplakia and laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Objective To study the expression of survivin and its role in laryngeal leukoplakia and laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Methods The expression of survivin protein was detected by immunohistochemistry in 28 cases of laryngeal leukoplakia, 46 cases of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, 24 cases of adjacent nontumorous laryngeal epithelium and 16 cases of normal laryngeal epithelium. Results The positive rates of survivin protein expression in laryngeal leukoplakia, laryngeal carcinoma,adjacent nontumorous laryngeal epithelium and normal laryngeal epithelium were 46.43%(13/28),71.74%(33/46),33.33%(8/24),respectively. The positive rate of survivin protein expression in laryngeal carcinoma was significantly higher than that in normal laryngeal epithelium, the adjacent nontumorous laryngeal epithelium and laryngeal leukoplakia. The positive rate of survivin protein expression in moderate/severe atypical hyperplasia laryngeal leukoplakia(66.67%)was significantly higher than that in mild atypical hyperplasia laryngeal leukoplakia(23.08%). But there were no statistically significant correlations between survivin protein expression and the clinicopathological characteristics of tumor site, T-stage, pathological grading, UICC-stage and lymph node metastasis(P0.05).The expression of survivin protein were all positive in 5 cases of the laryngeal leukoplakia group which turned into laryngeal carcinoma later. Conclusion There is overexpression of survivin in the laryngeal carcinoma. The expression of survivin might play an important role in the carcinogenisis of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, and might be an early event during laryngeal carcinogenesis. It could be a diagnostic marker for evaluating the malignant potential of laryngeal precancerosis lesion.