“Comparative Evaluation Of Immunohistochemical Expression Of Stoml1 And Stoml2 Proteins In Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma”

Abstract

INTRODUCTION-Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) remains a major global health concern, especially in regions with high tobacco and areca nut use. Despite progress in early detection and therapy, survival rates remain poor due to late diagnoses and the lack of reliable biomarkers. This study evaluates Stomatin-Like Proteins STOML1 and STOML2 in OSCC and normal oral mucosa (NOM), assessing their diagnostic and prognostic relevance.

AIM-To identify, quantify and compare IHC expression of Stomatin like protein-1(STOML1) and Stomatin like protein-2(STOML2) in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Normal Oral Mucosa obtained from healthy volunteers

OBJECTIVES-To quantify IHC expression of Stomatin like protein-1 (STOML-1) and Stomatin like protein-2 (STOML -2) IHC expression in tissue sections of Normal Oral Mucosa obtained from healthy volunteers (GROUP 1),To quantify IHC expression of Stomatin like protein-1 (STOML-1) and Stomatin like protein-2 (STOML -2) IHC expression in tissue sections of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (GROUP 2),To compare and co-relate the findings within and between the groups.

MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY-This retrospective case-control study analyzed 54 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples—27 OSCC cases and 27 normal oral mucosa (NOM) specimens from healthy individuals. Immunohistochemical staining was conducted using rabbit polyclonal antibodies specific to STOML1 and STOML2. Expression levels were quantified via histoscore analysis.

RESULTS:STOML1 and STOML2 showed elevated expression in OSCC tissues relative to normal oral mucosa (NOM). STOML1 expression was primarily observed in well-differentiated and early-stage OSCC, whereas STOML2 expression was more frequently associated with moderately differentiated tumors. ROC analysis indicated high sensitivity but low specificity for both markers in OSCC diagnosis.

CONCLUSION:STOML1 shows potential as a diagnostic biomarker for OSCC due to its marked overexpression in malignant tissue, though limited specificity highlights the need for complementary markers. Future research should explore the molecular pathways regulating STOML1 and STOML2 to advance targeted therapeutic strategies.