Detection of p16 promoter methylation in the serum of oral cancer patients.
P16 promoter methylation occurs frequently in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). For the early detection of tumour-related aberrant DNA, we examined p16 methylation using the methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) in tumour and serum samples of 17 OSCC patients. Aberrant p16 methylation was detected in 11 (64.7%) cases of primary OSCC. Of these 11 patients, 6 (54.5%) showed the same alteration in their serum. No methylation was found in control groups. Interestingly, DNA was detected in the serum of 3 out of 4 patients with recurrence. These results suggest that the MSP may be a sensitive and useful method for detecting recurrent OSCC.
Nakahara
Y
Y
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Ehime University School of Medicine, Ehime, Japan.
Shintani
S
S
Mihara
M
M
Hino
S
S
Hamakawa
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005260:Female; D019942:Genes, p16; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic