Long noncoding rna hotair an independent predictive marker of overall survival and loco-regional recurrence in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract

Author(s): Kiran Kumar, Dasarathi A, Manjunath Badni, Shilpasree A. S, Jagadeesha Poyya, Kaveri Hallikeri, Ajay Kumar Oli

Introduction: Identifying suitable predictive biomarkers is critical for preventing recurrence and improving the survival rate in individuals with Oral Squamous Cell Carcinomas (OSCC). HOTAIR is a novel type of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) that has been linked to initiation and progression in OSCC. Most previous studies on HOTAIR have included a small number of OSCC cohorts, only a few studies have performed multivariate analyses adjusting for confounding factors, and there has been little emphasis on HOTAIR's potential to predict loco-regional recurrence.

Methodology: The study included 96 OSCC Formalin Fixed Paraffin Embedded (FFPE) tissue samples and gender and age-matched 30 normal mucosa who had received surgical therapy. HOTAIR expression in OSCC was analysed using qRT-PCR and correlated with clinic-pathological variables, risk practices, loco-regional recurrence, and Overall Survival (OS).

Results: HOTAIR was overexpressed in OSCC compared to NM. High HOTAIR expression was related to regional lymph node metastases, perineural invasion, and locoregional recurrence. The Kaplan-Meier curve followed by Log-rank test survival estimates revealed a significantly associated with high HOTAIR expression and poor OS (p<0.05). In multivariate analysis, lymph node metastasis (Hazard ratio 4.39, p ≤ 0.001, 95% confidence interval, 1.775-10.886) and high HOTAIR expression (Hazard ratio 3.337, p ≤ 0.001, 95% confidence interval, 1.396-7.973) were the independent predictors of poor OS. Age, TNM staging, and high HOTAIR expression were all independent predictors of loco regional recurrence.

Conclusion: The current study establishes HOTAIR as a novel prognostic marker for OSCC and suggests a therapeutic strategy for targeted therapy of OSCC.

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