The role of CD133 expression of cancer stem cells on radiotherapy response in early stage glottic cancers

Purpose To investigate the relationship between CD133 positivity and radiotherapy (RT) response in early stage glottic laryngeal cancers. Methods Thirty seven patients with early-stage glottic laryngeal carcinoma who were treated with primary RT were evaluated. Patients with regular follow-up of at least 3 years were included in the study. Patients who had previously received chemotherapy for laryngeal surgery or underwent surgery were excluded. The patients were divided into two groups as recurrent and non-recurrent. These two groups were compared in terms of CD133 expression by immunohistochemical method. Results There were 37 patients in the study.Ten patients had recurrence and seven (70%) had CD133 positive and three had CD133 negative. Of 27 patients who had no recurrence, 16 (59%) had CD133 positive and 11 (41%) had CD133 negative. 7 (70%) of ten patients with recurrence were found to be positive for CD133; There was no statistically significant difference between recurrent and non-recurrent patient groups in terms of CD133 positivity (p > 0.05). There was no correlation between the final CD133 score and recurrence status as well (p > 0.05). Conclusion There was no relationship between radiotherapy response and CD133 staining in early-stage glottic laryngeal cancers. It is the largest study about CD133 and RT sensitivity in early stage glottic carcinomas.