Pituitary tumor-transforming gene expression is a prognostic marker for tumor recurrence in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
BACKGROUND
The proto-oncogene pituitary tumor-transforming gene (PTTG) has been shown to be abundantly overexpressed in a large variety of neoplasms likely promoting neo-vascularization and tumor invasiveness. In this study, we investigated a potential role for PTTG mRNA expression as a marker to evaluate the future clinical outcome of patients diagnosed with primary cancer of the head and neck.


METHODS
Tumor samples derived from primary tumors of 89 patients suffering from a squamous cell carcinoma were analyzed for PTTG mRNA-expression and compared to corresponding unaffected tissue. Expression levels were correlated to standard clinico-pathological parameters based on a five year observation period.


RESULTS
In almost all 89 tumor samples PTTG was found to be overexpressed (median fold increase: 2.1) when compared to the unaffected tissue specimens derived from the same patient. The nodal stage correlated with PTTG transcript levels with significant differences between pN0 (median expression: 1.32) and pN+ (median expression: 2.12; P = 0.016). In patients who developed a tumor recurrence we detected a significantly higher PTTG expression in primary tumors (median expression: 2.63) when compared to patients who did not develop a tumor recurrence (median expression: 1.29; P = 0.009). Since the median expression of PTTG in patients with tumor stage T1/2N0M0 that received surgery alone without tumor recurrence was 0.94 versus 3.82 in patients suffering from a tumor recurrence (P = 0.006), PTTG expression might provide a feasible mean of predicting tumor recurrence.


CONCLUSIONS
Elevated PTTG transcript levels might be used as a prognostic biomarker for future clinical outcome (i.e. recurrence) in primary squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck, especially in early stages of tumor development.
Solbach
Christine
C
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University School of Medicine, D-60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Solbach@em.uni-frankfurt.de
Roller
Marc
M
Eckerdt
Frank
F
Peters
Silke
S
Knecht
Rainald
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D064249:Securin
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D064249:Securin; C578002:pituitary tumor-transforming protein 1, human