title: ERCC1 expression and outcomes in head and neck cancer treated with concurrent cisplatin and radiation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Overexpression of excision repair cross complementing group 1 (ERCC1), a DNA repair enzyme, is associated with resistance to cisplatin.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tissues from 73 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC) who received concurrent cisplatin and radiation was analyzed immunohistochemically to determine if ERCC1 expression predicted for survival and response. Expression was scored as follows: 0=0% tumor nuclei positive, 1+=<50%, 2+=50-75% and 3+=>75%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ERCC1 expression was 0 in 0%, 1+ (14%), 2+ (42%) and 3+ (44%). In uni- and multivariate analyses, 3+ ERCC1 expression was not a significant predictor of survival or response. Median survival for the ERCC1 3+ patients was 2.9 years versus 2.1 years for the ERCC1 <3+ group (p=0.44).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this retrospective review of HNSCC patients receiving concurrent cisplatin and radiation, ERCC1 expression was not a significant predictor of survival or response.
authors.affiliation: Sacred Heart Medical Oncology, Miramar Beach, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Mose
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.forename: Jingsheng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Toby
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: Robin H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Amirkhan
authors.forename: Jonathan E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Dowell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004260:DNA Repair; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004720:Endonucleases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C071447:ERCC1 protein, human; D004720:Endonucleases; D002945:Cisplatin