Expression of fibroblast activation Protein-alpha in oral squamous cell Carcinoma & its association with Lymph node metastasis- an immunohistochemical Study

Abstract

Introduction: Oral carcinomas arises as a result of multiple molecular events. This can be either due to exposure to carcinogens present in the environment or genetic predisposition. Once the malignancy is set, histologically several structural alterations take place, both at cellular and tissue level. The tumor microenvironment plays a major role in survival and promotion of cancer cells. Interactions amongst these cellular and structural constituents of the microenvironment confers invasive capabilities to cancer cells and mediate their dissemination to far off locations via complex signalling cascades. Cancer associated fibroblasts/CAF constitutes the most common connective tissue cell in the given TME. It mediates promotion to growth and metastasis of tumor cells by secreting cytokines, growth factors, chemokines, mediating ECM remodelling along-with disruption of inflammatory reactions and immune surveillance pathways. Till date there are very few studies in the literature regarding FAP-a expression in OSCC and its association to histological parameters. Hence, our study aimed at evaluating an association between Expression of Fibroblast Activation Protein-Alpha in OSCC & Lymph Node Metastasis (LNM) and also other prognostic histological parameters.