Tumor Site Correlates with Poor Survival in Patients with Oral Chain in T Cells

Immunohistology for expression of the CD3f and CD3e chains in TIL was performed in 138 paraffin-embedded primary oral squamous cell carcinoma tissues and 10 nontumor, inflammatory lesion.s. Semiquantitative analysis of the staining intensity for ¿chainexpression and number of t chain expression-positive cells distinguished tumors with absent or low ^expression (42 of 132) from those with normal ^expression (90 of 132). f chain expression was inversely correlated with the tumor stage. Survival was significantly lower in patients whose TIL had absent or low f expres sion, controlling for stage i/' = 0.003) and lymph node status (/' = 0.0005). The prognostic value of £chain was restricted to patients with stage III or IV tumors i/' = 0.003). The data indicate that absent or decreased £ expression in TIL combined with tumor stage or nodal status defines a group of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma who have an ex tremely poor prognosis.