To investigate the expression of TKTL1 (transketolase-like protein 1) gene and its correlation with clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of human tongue squamous cell carcinoma.

Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the TKTL1 protein levels in 45 human tongue cancer specimens and matched normal tissues.

The positive expression ratio of TKTL1 protein in tongue squamous carcinoma tissues (68. 89%) was significantly higher than that in normal tissues (15. 56%), and the difference was statistically significant (χ² = 26. 235, P ＜0. 01). The high level of TKTL1 was not statistically correlated with age, gender and tumor differentiated degree (P ＞0. 05), however it was associated with TNM staging and lymph node metastasis (P ＜ 0. 05) notably. Mantel-Cox demonstrated the survival time of patients with high TKTL1 expression was significantly lower than those with low TKTL1 expressions.

It suggests a high TKTL1 expression may be tightly related to the occurrence, development, progression and prognosis of human tongue squamous cell carcinoma.