BUBR1 expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma and its relationship to tumor stage and survival.

Background. Defects in the mitotic spindle checkpoint have been proposed to contribute to the chromosomal instability observed in human cancers, including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). BUBR1 is a key component of the spindle checkpoint, whose role in oral carcinogenesis still needs to be clarified. Methods. We have analyzed the expression of BUBR1 in 49 cases of OSCC by immunohistochemistry and compared the findings with clinicopathologic parameters, proliferative activity, and DNA ploidy. Results. BUBR1 was overexpressed in 11 cases (22.4%). Tumors with overexpression of BUBR1 were associated with a less advanced pathologic stage (p = .05) and showed longer survival periods (p = .38) but shorter recurrence-free survival periods (p = .13) than those without it. Conclusions. Our data imply the possibility that BUBR1 may be involved in the progression of OSCC, and suggest that BUBR1 may be a promising prognostic marker in patients with OSCC. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 33: 727-733, 2011