title: Tumour stage, node stage, p53 gene status, and bcl-2 protein expression as predictors of tumour response to platin-fluorouracil chemotherapy in patients with squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to establish the relative contribution of tumour stage, node stage, p53 gene status, p53 expression, and bcl-2 protein expression to tumour response to platin-fluorouracil chemotherapy in 141 patients with squamous-cell carcinomas of the head and neck. Tumour response was measured at the primary site after three cycles of chemotherapy. Exons 2-10 and the coding part of exon 11 were sequenced on both strands. Bcl-2 or p53 expression was detected by immunohistochemistry. Predictor variables of objective response (reduction of at least 50% of tumour size) were tested in univariate and multivariate analyses. P53 mutations were found in 52 patients (37%). Tumour cells expressed p53 in 84 cases (59%) and bcl-2 in 25 cases (18%). T1 or T2 stage (adjusted odds ratio, 3.3; 95% confidence interval 1.3-8.7; P=0.01), N0 node stage (adjusted odds ratio, 2.7; 95% confidence interval 1.1-6.4; P=0.03), p53 wild-type gene (adjusted odds ratio, 4.0; 95% confidence interval 1.7-9.5; P=0.002), and bcl-2 protein expression (adjusted odds ratio, 20; 95% confidence interval 2.3-170; P=0.006), were positively associated with tumour response. P53 protein expression was not predictive of response. In conclusion, tumour stage, node stage, p53 gene status, and bcl-2 expression are independent predictors of tumour response to platin-fluorouracil in patients with squamous-cell carcinomas of the head and neck.
authors.affiliation: Service d'Anatomie Pathologique, UPRES EA 3499, UFR Pitié-Salpêtrière, 47-93 Boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75634 Paris Cedex 13, France. pierre.fouret@psl.ap-hop-paris.fr
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fouret
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Temam
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Charlotte
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lacau-St-Guily
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016158:Genes, p53 / Q000235:genetics*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil