Preliminary study of androgen receptor expression in oral lichen planus and oral squamous cell carcinoma: A comparative cross-sectional analysis.

PURPOSE: Androgen receptor (AR) signaling is known to contribute to the progression of various cancers, including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). However, its role in oral lichen planus (OLP), a chronic inflammatory disorder with malignant potential, remains poorly understood. This preliminary study aimed to evaluate AR expression in OLP and OSCC tissues and explore its potential involvement in their pathogenesis.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted using 50 paraffin-embedded tissue samples (25 OLP and 25 OSCC). AR expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry and graded based on the percentage of positively stained cells. Statistical analysis was performed to compare AR expression between groups.

RESULTS

AR expression was observed in 28% of OLP and 40% of OSCC samples. No significant difference in AR expression was found between OLP and OSCC tissues. In OSCC, AR expression did not significantly vary across tumor grades. Notably, age-matched analysis showed similar AR expression patterns in both groups.

CONCLUSION

These preliminary findings suggest that AR signaling may contribute to shared molecular pathways linking chronic inflammation with carcinogenesis. Further large-scale studies are required to confirm these observations.