title: Molecular classification of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas using patterns of gene expression.
abstract: The prognostication of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is largely based upon the tumor size and location and the presence of lymph node metastases. Here we show that gene expression patterns from 60 HNSCC samples assayed on cDNA microarrays allowed categorization of these tumors into four distinct subtypes. These subtypes showed statistically significant differences in recurrence-free survival and included a subtype with a possible EGFR-pathway signature, a mesenchymal-enriched subtype, a normal epithelium-like subtype, and a subtype with high levels of antioxidant enzymes. Supervised analyses to predict lymph node metastasis status were approximately 80% accurate when tumor subsite and pathological node status were considered simultaneously. This work represents an important step toward the identification of clinically significant biomarkers for HNSCC.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbuilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbuilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA.
authors.forename: Christine H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Joel S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: Gamze
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Karaca
authors.forename: Junyuan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: William K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Funkhouser
authors.forename: Dominic
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Dale
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Butterfoss
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zanation
authors.forename: Xiaoying
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: William W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Shockley
authors.forename: Mark C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Weissler
authors.forename: Lynn G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Dressler
authors.forename: Carol G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Shores
authors.forename: Wendell G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Yarbrough
authors.forename: Charles M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Perou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000235:genetics; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor