Thymidine Labeling Index in Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Authors: MURAT ÜNAL, AYHAN BİLİR, MESUT CAN KARATAY, İSMAİL ÇÖLHAN

Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of the thymidine labeling index (TLI) in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The TLI in tumor tissue and adjacent healthy tissue was assessed prospectively in 31 patients and these values were correlated with age, TNM, grade and recurrence statistically. The tissues (tumoral and adjacent tumor-free tissue) that were obtained during surgery were labeled with ^3H-Thymidine. TLI was calculated as the number of labeled tumor cells * 100 / total number of tumor cells. A statistically significant difference was observed between tumor tissue (mean TLI value = 17.62± 6.39%) and adjacent tumor-free tissue (mean TLI value = 9.16±3.32%) (p<0.05), but there was no significant relationship between TLI and age, TNM, grade and recurrence. It was concluded that TLI in the laryngeal SCC was not a suitable prognostic marker for follow-up and accurate therapeutic planning due to methodological and tumor dependent reasons.

Keywords: Thymidine labeling index, laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, prognostic factors

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