MicroRNA-21 promotes perineural invasion and impacts survival in patients with oral carcinoma.

Background: Perineural invasion is a pathological feature that may affect cancer cell progression and thus can result in prognostic impacts, especially in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). However, factors regulating perineural invasion during OSCC remain obscure.

Methods: Expression of miR-21 and phosphatase and tensin homolog was checked in surgical specimens from cases of OSCC. The results were analyzed for histopathologic factors, including perineural invasion and clinical prognosis.

Results: One-hundred cases of OSCC patients were enrolled in this study. High expression of miR-21 was related to perineural invasion and worse prognosis in OSCC patients.

Conclusion: miR-21 was an independent factor of disease survival of OSCC. miR-21/phosphatase and tensin homolog disregulation was related to perineural invasion.