An investigation of clinical parameters and biomarkers associated with angiogenesis, proliferation, cell adhesion and invasion in laryngeal carcinoma

. Larynx squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is a commonly seen subtype of head and neck cancer. Despite the advances in diagnosis and treatment options through the years, there has been no improvement in the survival rates and larynx cancer yet remains as a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. This has necessitated the use of reliable biomarkers in the diagnosis of the disease and follow up. This study included 60 primary LSCC patients who were diagnosed at Hacettepe Universtiy Medical Faculty Department of Otorhinolaryngology between May 2018 and February 2020 and 20 healthy volunteers. Angiogenin, Endoglin, VEGF, sVEGFR1, VEGFR2, IGFBP-3 and Osteopontin levels were investigated with ELISA method in the serum samples of all participants. All patients were prospectively followed up and the biomarker levels were compared for clinical parameters, survival and prognosis. In all participants, 76 were male and 4 were female. Mean age was 62.86 ± 9.6 years. Mean follow up time was 19.5 ± 9.7 months. Osteopontin, IGFBP3, VEGF, sVEGFR1, VEGFR2 levels were higher in patient group (p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.01 and p<0.01, respectively). There was no association with T stage, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis and clinical grade in any of the biomarkers. Osteopontin and sVEGFR-1 levels were significantly higher in patients with local recurrence (p=0.034 and p=0.038). IGFBP3 had the highest sensitivity (81,4%) and specifity (80%) rates. 1-year and 2-year survival rates were 92% and 85,5% respectively. Patients whose sVEGFR-1 values were higher than the cut-off value and whose VEGFR-2 values were lower than the median value had worse prognosis. In conclusion, despite the significant differences in some biomarkers in the patient group compared to healthy volunteers, it is not enough to be precisely diagnostic. There should be more studies on Osteopontin, sVEGFR-1 and VEGFR2 for the evaluation of survival and recurrence.