Expression of mucin gene products in laryngeal squamous cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Mucins are high-molecular-weight glycoproteins present at the outer surface of mammalian cells. The objective of this study was to examine the expression of mucin (MUC) genes 3, 4, 5AC, 5B, 6, and 7 in early and late laryngeal squamous cancer using the in situ hybridization technique. Study design Retrospective analysis of pathological archive specimens.


RESULTS
While MUC 3 and 7 are expressed in a small proportion of early cancers, MUC 5AC, 5B, and 6 are not expressed in laryngeal squamous cancer. MUC 4 was expressed in 13 of the 30 patients. Ten patients and 3 patients with stage 1 and stage 4 disease respectively expressed MUC 4 gene (Fisher's exact, P = 0.02). MUC 4-positive patients had a definite trend towards better survival (log rank test, P = 0.05). In the presence of tumor stage and comorbidity grade, Cox's proportional hazards model failed to statistically confirm the survival advantage provided by MUC 4 gene expression.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a survival advantage for patients with advanced-stage nonmetastatic cancer when the MUC 4 gene is expressed.


OBJECTIVE
To study the expression of mucin (MUC) genes 3, 4, 5AC, 5B, 6, and 7 in early and advanced squamous cell cancer of the larynx; to attempt to correlate changes in gene expression with tumor stage by studying stage I and stage IV (AJCC, 1988) tumors.
Paleri
Vinidh
V
University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne, England. vinidpa@hotmail.com
Pearson
Jeff P
JP
Bulmer
David
D
Jeannon
Jean-Pierre
JP
Wight
Richard G
RG
Wilson
Janet A
JA
D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009077:Mucins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009077:Mucins