title: Expression of cancer-testis antigens MAGE-A4 and MAGE-C1 in oral squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tumor markers are genes or their products expressed exclusively or preferentially in tumor cells and cancer-testis antigens (CTAs) form a group of genes with a typical expression pattern expressed in a variety of malignant neoplasms. CTAs are considered potential targets for cancer vaccines. It is possible that the CTA MAGE-A4 (melanoma antigen) and MAGE-C1 are expressed in carcinoma of the oral cavity and are related with survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study involved immunohistochemical analysis of 23 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and was carried out using antibodies for MAGE-A4 and MAGE-C1. Fisher's exact test and log-rank test were used to evaluate the results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression of the MAGE-A4 and MAGE-C1 were 56.5% and 47.8% without statistical difference in studied variables and survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expression of at least 1 CTA was present in 78.3% of the patients, however, without correlation with clinicopathologic variables and survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. j.r.montoro@terra.com.br
authors.forename: José Raphael de Moura Campos
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Montoro
authors.forename: Rui Celso Martins
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Mamede
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Neder Serafini
authors.forename: Fabiano Pinto
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Saggioro
authors.forename: David Livingstone Alves
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.forename: Wilson Araújo da
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Achim A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Jungbluth
authors.forename: Giulio Cesare
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Spagnoli
authors.forename: Marco Antônio
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Zago
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C095204:MAGEA4 protein, human; C110905:MAGEC1 protein, human; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins