Aurora B kinase expression in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and its prognostic implications

Aims: To investigate the clinical and prognostic significance of Aurora B in laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas (LSCC). Methods and results: Aurora B protein expression was analysed in 259 LSCC. The proliferation index (Ki67) and the expression of other cell cycle control proteins, such as Aurora A, survivin and p53 was also determined. Aurora B was highly expressed in 55.4% of LSCC. High Aurora B expression levels were correlated with tumour recurrence (P = 0.01), death from disease (P = 0.05) and decreased disease-free survival (P = 0.013) and overall survival (P = 0.04). Survivin expression was neither associated with clinicopathological characteristics nor with survival. However, survivin expression in the nucleus paralleled Aurora B expression (P = 0.014). Aurora A expression was associated significantly with increased tumour grade (P = 0.008). Multivariate analysis indicated that Aurora B was an independent predictor for LSCC-specific disease-free survival [hazard ratio (HR), 2.10; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.25-3.52 (P = 0.005)] and overall survival [HR, 1.91; 95% CI 1.01-3.34 (P = 0.023)]. Conclusions: Aurora B may be a novel prognostic biomarker for LSCC and a potential therapeutic target in this type of tumour.