The prognostic role of phospho-Src family kinase analysis in tongue cancer.
BACKGROUND
The up regulation of Phospho-Src family kinase oncogene has been correlated with reduced postoperative survival in various cancers but never in tongue cancer.


METHODS
We analyzed phospho-Src family kinase in 39 tongue (mobile) cancer patients by immunohistochemistry, compared these results with similar analysis for TUNEL and c-erbB-2 and with both clinical tumor characteristics and patient survival probability rates.


RESULTS
Phospho-Src family kinase overexpression was found in most tongue cancer biopsies (62%), significantly correlating with tumors larger in size (P = 0.05), progression—lymph node metastasis (0.004) and stage (P = 0.05), and correlating with TUNEL (P = 0.01) and c-erbB-2 (P = 0.05) expression rates. At 60 months, survival probability for negative phospho-Src family kinase level (=0) patients was 67%, but 30% for positive phospho-Src family kinase level (>0) patients (P = 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Inverse correlation between phospho-Src family kinase and patient survival demonstrates the prognostic role of phospho-Src family kinase in tongue cancer. These findings suggest a novel link between phospho-Src family kinase and TUNEL and c-erbB-2 pathways, tilting the balance toward cell proliferation.
Ben-Izhak
Ofer
O
Department of Pathology, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.
Cohen-Kaplan
Victoria
V
Nagler
Rafael M
RM
D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000378:metabolism; D019061:src-Family Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D014443:Tyrosine; D019061:src-Family Kinases