title: Ataxia-telangiectasia-mutated (ATM) gene in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: promoter hypermethylation with clinical correlation in 100 cases.
abstract: The Ataxia-telangiectasia-mutated (ATM) gene product is a well-characterized tumor suppressor that plays a key role in maintenance of genomic stability. We have recently documented that the ATM promoter is a target for epigenetic silencing in cultured tumor cells. Here we show that aberrant methylation of the ATM promoter occurs in a significant percentage (25%) of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. The presence of methylated ATM promoter shows a statistically significant correlation with an earlier age of initial diagnosis and decreased overall survival, particularly in early-stage tumors. These findings indicate that ATM promoter hypermethylation occurs in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, and this feature is a potentially useful prognostic marker in this tumor type.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and John L. McClellan Memorial Veterans' Hospital, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
authors.forename: Lingbao
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ai
authors.forename: Quynh N
authors.initials: QN
authors.lastname: Vo
authors.forename: Chunlai
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zuo
authors.forename: Liwen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wenhua
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: James Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Suen
authors.forename: Ehab
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hanna
authors.forename: Kevin D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Chun-Yang
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001260:Ataxia Telangiectasia / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008745:Methylation; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D016019:Survival Analysis