Expression of the apoptosis inhibitor protein Survivin in primary laryngeal carcinoma and cervical lymph node metastasis.

Abstract

Nuclear expression of survivin should be studied as a hallmark of higher risk laryngeal SCCs to develop loco-regional recurrences. Higher survivin expression in pN+ laryngeal SCC may suggest elective neck dissection in clinically N0 patients with high survivin expression in primary SCC. The extremely high survivin expression in lymph node metastases may support the use of survivin in the diagnosis of lymph node micro-metastases.