title: Detection of p16 promoter methylation in the serum of oral cancer patients.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Ehime University School of Medicine, Ehime, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakahara
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shintani
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mihara
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hino
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hamakawa
mesh_terms: 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