Progressive rise of c fos expression from premalignant to malignant lesions of oral cavity.
OBJECTIVE
Oral cancer is a worldwide phenomenon. It is thought to develop in a number of premalignant lesions. Protooncogene c fos is a known transformer of premalignant to malignant lesions. However, its role in oral carcinogenesis is not yet known.


METHODS
A total of 130 cases were studied comprising of premalignant lesions (n=50), squamous cell carcinoma (n=50) and controls (n=30). c fos expression was studied by immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
Premalignant lesions of oral cavity occurred at a lower age group (mean 39.2 years) compared to squamous cell carcinoma (mean 51.8 years), p <0.001. Mean c fos percentage positivity in squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), premalignant lesions and controls was 44.5+/-36.9%, 11.4+/-18.8% and 1.23+/-2.6% respectively, the differences were highly significant (p<0.001). c fos positivity also increased from mild (10.85+/-14.23%) to moderate dysplasia (19.64 +/-26.05%).


CONCLUSIONS
The serially increasing c fos expression from normal mucosa to premalignant lesions to SCC and in dysplasias suggests that it could be an early gene to get activated and form transcription factor activator protein -1(AP-1).
Sachdev
Ritesh
R
Department of Pathology and ENT, Maulana Azad Medical College, Bahadur Shah Jafar Marg, New Delhi, India. sachdev05@gmail.com
Mandal
Ashish Kumar
AK
Singh
Ishwar
I
Agarwal
Arun Kumar
AK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000378:metabolism*; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D055815:Young Adult
D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos