Loss of heterozygosity at chromosome 14q is associated with poor prognosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.
OBJECTIVE
Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in a chromosomal location indicates the presence of an inactivated tumor suppressor gene (TSG). Inactivation of TSG has a functional role in the tumorigenesis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Based on the recent evidences of a putative TSG on chromosome 14, we examined LOH on chromosome 14q using eight polymorphic microsatellite markers in 50 cases of HNSCCs.


RESULTS
Three regions were detected to have a high LOH rate which included 14q21.2-22.3 (42.5%), 14q31 (55%), and 14q32.1 (37%). The correlation between LOH and clinicopathological findings was investigated through statistical analyses. A strong correlation was observed between the highest LOH marker and the overall and disease-free survival.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that the distal part of chromosome 14 may host a TSG that may lead to the development and/or progression of HNSCCs. Several genes such as CHES1, BMP4, SAV, and PNN have arisen as candidate tumor suppressors in the region.
Department of Oral Pathology and Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Shikatacho 2-5-1, Okayama 700-8525, Japan.
Davut
D
Pehlivan
Esra
E
Gunduz
Mehmet
M
Gunduz
Hitoshi
H
Nagatsuka
Levent Bekir
LB
Beder
Beyhan
B
Cengiz
Rosario S
RS
Rivera
Kunihiro
K
Fukushima
Sukru
S
Palanduz
Sukru
S
Ozturk
Noboru
N
Yamanaka
Kenji
K
Shimizu
D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D002883:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14 / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D019656:Loss of Heterozygosity; D008297:Male; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate