Prognostic role of Oct4, CD44 and c-Myc in radio-chemo-resistant oral cancer patients and their tumourigenic potential in immunodeficient mice.

Objective: In the present study, we have investigated the prognostic value of known stem cell-associated molecules such as Oct4, CD44 and c-Myc in patients with oral SCC who had received post-surgery radio- and/or chemotherapy.

Materials And Methods: Immunohistochemistry was performed to analyse the expression of Oct4, CD44 and c-Myc in 87 tumour tissues, and the expression profile obtained was correlated with clinicopathological parameters of the patients with oral cancer. Tumourigenic potential of these molecules was also evaluated by in vivo studies.