title: Significance of P16INK4A hypermethylation gene in primary head/neck and colorectal tumors: it is a specific tissue event? Results of a 3-year GOIM (Gruppo Oncologico dell'Italia Meridionale) prospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Methylation of the p16 promoter is one of the most frequent mechanisms of gene inactivation; its incidence is extremely variable according to the type of tumor involved. Our purpose was to analyze the hypermethylation of the p16 promoter in laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas (LSCC), salivary gland (SG) tumors and in colorectal cancer (CRC), to detect any possible association with the clinicopathological features and to determine the prognostic significance of the p16 gene in the tumors analyzed.
  
  
  METHODS
  The hypermethylation of the p16 promoter was prospectively analyzed, by MSP, in a consecutive series of 64 locally advanced LSCC patients, in a consecutive series of 33 SG tumor patients and in a consecutive series of 66 sporadic CRC patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hypermethylation was observed in 9% of the LSCC cases, in all cases of SG cancer and in 21% of the CRC cases. No significant association was observed between p16 hypermethylation and clinicopathological variables in all the tissue samples analyzed. Moreover at univariate analysis p16 mutations were not independently related at disease relapse and death in LSCC and CRC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study suggest that the lack of p16 function could happen in advanced stage of SG tumors.
authors.affiliation: Section of Medical Oncology, Section of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgical and Oncology, Section of General Surgery, Department of Human Pathology, Università di Palermo.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Agnese
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Corsale
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Calò
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Augello
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bruno
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Calcara
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Crosta
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rodolico
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rinaldi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cicero
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Latteri
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Agrusa
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Morello
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Adamo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Altavilla
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Fede
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fiorentino
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Grassi
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Latteri
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Valerio
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Tomasino
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Colucci
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bazan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Russo
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D019175:DNA Methylation; D019942:Genes, p16; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic