Expression of the c-myc oncogene and the presence of HPV 18: possible surrogate markers for cervical cancer?
The study aims to evaluate the cause of cervical cancer in a cohort of patients and to establish whether or not human papillomavirus (HPV) is the leading risk factor and to determine whether or not c-myc oncogene over-expression is a predicative marker for the disease. Cone biopsy samples are examined from 53 patients diagnosed with either adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix. Results showed that 19% of the patients studied were positive for high-grade HPV 18 DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). For the c-myc gene expression, only three (23%) of the 13 control slides were positive. Of 49 known cervical cancer patients examined, 41% were positive, 51% were negative and 8% were doubtful. Of those who were positive for HPV, only two were positive for a mutation in the c-myc gene and one slide gave a doubtful result. P value for hysterectomy patients was 0.23 and for cancer patients was 0.48. In the cervical cancer patients studied, the HPV 18 prevalence rate was very low compared to that found in other studies. Therefore, the presence of HPV and expression of the c-myc oncogene cannot be used as surrogate markers for cervical cancer.
Rughooputh
S
S
Molecular Medicine Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK. srugh@essex.ac.uk
Manraj
S
S
Eddoo
R
R
Greenwell
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D016259:Genes, myc; D052161:Human papillomavirus 18 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000378:metabolism; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc