Abstract
Purpose :
Somatostatin receptors are high affinity surface receptors that have shown to be expressed in different organs, tissues and different tumors. Somatostatin Receptor subtype-2 (SSTR2) specifically, has shown to mediate inhibition of cell proliferation and apoptosis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the expression of SST receptor 2 (SSTR2) in squamous cell carcinoma of the conjunctiva.
Methods :
The database at the Florida Lions Ocular Pathology Laboratory was searched for specimens diagnosed with Squamous cell carcinoma on light microscopic examination from February 2017 to November 2017. A total of seven specimens were randomly retrieved. Immunofluorescence was performed using an antibody for SSTR2 (abcam) evaluate the expression of these receptors within tumor cells of squamous cell carcinoma of the conjunctiva. Medical records were reviewed for demographics, clinical presentation, recurrence and treatment. One non-neoplastic squamous epithelium specimen was also retrieved, stained and graded following the aforementioned protocol as a control. IRB/Ethics Committee approval from the University of Miami Miller School Of Medicine was obtained for this study.
Results :
The diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma was established by light microscopic examination of formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tissue from the conjunctiva of seven patients. Four patients were male and three were female, age 57.7 ± 12.7 years old (36-73). All cases presented with a lesion consistent with OSSN. On histopathological examination, five cases demonstrated a tumor composed of faulty epithelial maturational sequencing extending up to full thickness, one case presented as well differentiated squamous cell carcinoma and one as atypical cells with invasion to the substantia propria. On immunofluorescence, the seven tumors demonstrated expression of SSTR2 within tumor cells.
Conclusions :
This study demonstrates expression of Somatostatin Receptor-2 within tumor cells of squamous cell carcinomas of the conjunctiva. The presence of this receptor in squamous carcinoma of the conjunctiva may play a role in the pathophysiology of this tumor. The use of SSTR2 analogues may potentially be used as new or adjunctive alternatives for the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the conjunctiva.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2018 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Honolulu, Hawaii, April 29 - May 3, 2018.