Immunohistochemical comparison of CD44 and Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1 Alpha (HIF-1α) in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Oral Epithelial Dysplasia: A comparative study

This study aimed to evaluate the expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) and CD44 markers to detect their potential role in the progression of oral epithelial dysplasia (OED) to oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The study involved 50 patients with different grades of OED and OSCC taken from different anatomical sites by the head and neck surgeons. The pathologists used ordinary stained slides for histological evaluation and immunostaining of HIF-1α and CD44 antibodies using conventional and remote examination tools. The results showed that the mean area percentage of HIF-1α and CD44 immunostaining was significantly higher in severe dysplasia, followed by moderate dysplasia and mild dysplasia. Similar results were observed in OSCC, with poorly differentiated OSCC showing the highest mean expression and the mean area percentages in all cases were higher in OSCC (44.24%) and (47.09%) than in OED (14.50%) and (20.29%). The study concluded that HIF-1α and CD44 markers could be helpful in accurate classification of oral epithelial lesions with potential and therapeutic value, however further clinical studies are recommended.