Answer:
There are various prognostic indicators in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. In comparison to patients with diploid SCC, those with aneuploid SCC had significantly decreased relapse-free and overall survival rates. Additionally, carcinomas with more than 50% of the malignant cells with DNA levels exceeding the modal diploid value showed more advanced clinical stage and were associated with a poorer prognosis. Patients with positive progesterone receptors are more likely to be free of disease after resection. Those patients with higher levels were more likely to be free of disease. Ferritin levels are significantly higher in patients with advanced (Stage III and IV) cancer than in those individuals with Stage I or II cancer. Furthermore ferritin levels showed a tendency to increase or remain at high levels in patients with a poor prognosis. Patients with head and neck cancer commonly have raised serum IgA levels with more advanced stages having higher levels than stage I or healthy controls. These immunoglobulins are IgA-anti-Fab autoantibodies and are associated with the immune dysfunction in head and neck cancer patients. Finally Cyfra 21-1 is a tumor marker expressed in 41% of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. It is the most useful tumor marker for head and neck SCC.