Expression of extracellular matrix-laminin in oral squamous cell carcinoma: an immunohistochemical study.

Aim: To evaluate the expression of laminin in various grades of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in order to determine whether this protein can be used as a marker for early detection and elucidation of oral cancer. Materials and methods: Immunohistochemical staining for laminin was done on 60 selected archival blocks of histopathologically diagnosed cases of primary OSCC and the laminin expression was compared between the different histopathological grades of primary OSCC. The statistical analysis was performed by using Chi-square (χ square) test and Gaussiantest with a probability of p < 0.05 was considered as significant. Results: It was observed that laminin expression decreased with tumor progression which may be correlated to the tumor aggressiveness. Conclusion: There was a gradual decrease of laminin staining with decreasing cellular differentiation, with differentiated lesions showing a more conspicuous staining of basement membrane glycoprotein than less differentiated lesions. Clinical significance: An understanding of how the extracellular matrix influences tumor development and invasion is fundamental in the development of new prognostic indicators and treatment strategies for oral squamous cell carcinoma.