Evaluation of Mast Cell Density using CD117 antibody and Microvessel Density Using CD34 Antibody in Different Grades of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

OBJECTIVE: To compare mast cell and microvessel densities among histologic grades of oral squamous cell carcinoma. SETTING: Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. Materials and Methods: A total of 60 specimens of OSCC comprising 20 each of well, moderately and poorly differentiated were evaluated. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed to measure MCD and MVD by applying monoclonal CD117 antibody and monoclonal CD34 antibody, on formalin fixed and paraffin embedded sections. ANOVA and Post Hoc Tukey test was employed to assess the densities and to compare the differences between different grades of OSCC. A p-value <0.05 was considered to as significant. RESULTS: There were 67% males and 33% females with a mean age of 60.1±16.0years. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed MCD to be 31.0±5.5 25.05±5.2, 10.90±3.5 in well, moderately and poorly differentiated OSCC. The intergroup comparison of decrease in MCD was also found to be statistically significant. The mean MVD was found to be 17.55±4.2, 20.35±3.6 and 28.60±3.2 in WDOSCC, MDOSCC and PDOSCC respectively. The pair wise result of MVD was found insignificant between well and moderately differentiated OSCC (p=0.057). However, the results of MVD was significant for well versus poorly differentiated and moderately versus poorly differentiated OSCC (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The protective role of mast cells in OSCC is favored as a decrease in MCD is observed with the advancing histological grade of tumor. Significant results of MCD and MVD reveal that they can be used as an indicator for the disease progression in oral tumors This outcome might help delineating tumor population to get advantage from novel treatment modalities like mast cell degranulation blocking agents and anti-angiogenic therapy.