Quantitative expression analysis of metastasis-related ELAM-1 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Objective: To investigate the expression of metastasis- related endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecules-1 (EMLA-1) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods: Cancer tissue specimens were obtained nasopharyngeal biopsy of 46 patients with NPC. The quantitative expression of metastasis-related ELAM-1 in all patients was performed using immunohistochemical SP method. These patients were divided into metastasis group and non-metastasis group according to medical imaging examination. The quantitative expression of metastasis related ELAM-1 was analyzed in different groups and clinic-pathologic features. Results: 93.1% (27/29) positive expression of ELAM-1 in 29 metastatic patients was higher that of 17 non-metastasis (23.5%, 4/17), there was significant different in the positive expression of ELAM-1 between two groups (x(2)=23.607, P=0.000), and there was a positive correlation between ELAM-1 expression and metastasis (r=0.571, P=0.000), but there were no relationship between ELAM-1 expression and clinical staging, T staging, age and gender (P>0.05). Conclusion: Over-expression of ELAM-1 may contribute to metastatic spread, and will serve as a potential prognostic biomarker in patients with NPC.