Evidence of β-Catenin Immunohistochemistry in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Association with Clinicopathological Characteristics

Abstract

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common type of cancer in the upper aerodigestive tract, while head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is the eighth most common cancer in men and the thirteenth most common cancer in women worldwide. The objective of the study was to assess the β-catenin immunohistochemistry expression and relate it to variables including age, gender, tumor location, clinical manifestation, and histopathological grade of OSCC. In all, 45 blocks of completely excised OSCC that had been previously formalin-fixed and embedded in paraffin were considered for the investigation. The anti-β-catenin antibody was used for the immunohistochemical staining. Forty-five patients who underwent excisional removal for OSCC were analyzed retrospectively through Hematoxylin, eosin, and immunohistochemical staining to evaluate clinical and pathological parameters. The majority of occurrences (31.11%) happened in the 70s, according to the results, with males being more affected than females, showing a male-to-female ratio of 1.5:1. The most common site of the tumor was the tongue (48.89%), and the majority of cases presented clinically as a mass (53.33%). Immunohistochemically, the β-catenin positive immunoreaction was most commonly observed in score 2 (51.11%). Statistically, β-catenin expression showed a significant association with tumor grade. The study found that β-catenin, a signaling molecule, reduces membrane localization and increases cytoplasmic and nuclear staining. Its expression is strongly associated with tumor grade, suggesting that β-catenin may promote tumor progression by enhancing cell proliferation and weakening cell adhesion.