Expression of Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1α and Its Significance in Laryngeal Carcinoma

This study examined levels of hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1 alpha) protein in 40 laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma specimens using immunohistochemistry. Correlations between HIF-1 alpha immunoreactivity and patient age, tumour lymph node metastasis stage, histological grade (extent of differentiation), and alcohol and smoking history were evaluated. Of the tumour tissues obtained, 35 (87.5%) were located in the glottic area and five (12.5%) in the supraglottic area. All patients were male and aged between 35 and 71 years; 12 (30.0%) presented with lymph node metastases, 24 (60.0%) had cancer classified as T(1)or T-2, and 16 (40.0%) as high clinical stage (T-3 or T-4). The pattern of HIF-1 alpha protein localization in tumour tissues, when present, was mixed nuclear/cytoplasmic, with positive HIF-1 alpha expression in 27 patients (67.5%). Differences in HIF-1 alpha levels in samples from different tumour stages and in those with lymph node-positive versus lymph node-negative cancers were statistically significant.