The detection of the c-myc and ras oncogenes in nasopharyngeal carcinoma by immunohistochemistry.
Forty-one paraffin embedded specimens of primary nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) were examined to investigate the expression of c-myc and ras oncogenes. Sections were stained with the monoclonal antibodies myc 1-9E10 or ras Y13-259 and binding was detected using the ABC method. The intensity of staining for each tumour was assessed as nil, moderate or intense. The results indicated that 9 (22%) had intense staining for the c-myc oncogene, 28 (68%) had moderate staining and only 4 (10%) showed no staining. For the ras oncogene, 8 (19%) had intense staining, 22 (54%) moderate staining and 11 (27%) showed no staining. The patient's clinical data indicated no correlation between the expression of either c-myc or ras p21 and age, sex, smoking, tumour stage, antibody titre to EBV, or family history. No correlation was found between ras p21 expression and survival; however, overexpression of the c-myc oncogene correlated with a poor prognosis (p < 0.05). This study is consistent with investigations demonstrating that c-myc expression correlates with poor survival in head and neck tumours.
Porter
M J
MJ
Department of Surgery, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin.
Field
J K
JK
Leung
S F
SF
Lo
D
D
Lee
J C
JC
Spandidos
D A
DA
van Hasselt
C A
CA
D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D016259:Genes, myc / Q000235:genetics; D011905:Genes, ras / Q000235:genetics; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012907:Smoking; D015996:Survival Rate
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007070:Immunoglobulin A