Transcriptional expression of SLC16A7 as a biomarker of occult lymph node metastases in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

PurposeGlucose is the main energy substrate of tumor cells. This study aims to assess whether the transcriptional expression of glucose metabolism-related genes is associated with occult lymph node metastases in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients.MethodsWe examined the transcriptional expression of a panel of glucose metabolism-related genes in a cohort of 53 patients with HNSCC without cervical lymph node involvement at the time of diagnosis (cN0) and subsequently treated with elective neck dissection.ResultsOccult lymph node metastases were found in 37.7% (n = 20) of the patients. Among the analyzed genes, SLC16A7 exhibited the strongest association with the presence of occult lymph node metastases. Patients with occult lymph node metastases (cN0/pN +) had significantly lower SLC16A7 expression values (p = 0.001). Patients with low SLC16A7 expression (n = 17, 32.1%) had a frequency of occult lymph node metastases of 76.5%, while for patients with high SLCA16A7 expression (n = 36, 67.9%) it was 19.4% (P = 0.0001). A multivariable analysis showed that patients with low expression of SLC16A7 had a 12.6 times higher risk of developing occult lymph node metastases.ConclusioncN0 HNSCC patients with low SLC16A7 expression had a higher risk of occult lymph node metastases.