title: ADAM8 in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: a retrospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A disintegrin and metalloproteinase (ADAMs) have been associated with multiple malignancies. ADAMs are involved in cell fusion, cell migration, membrane protein shedding and proteolysis. ADAM8 has been found to be overexpressed in squamous cell carcinomas of the lung. A new study showed that ADAM8 is significantly overexpressed in metastasis of squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (HNSCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  We determined ADAM8 levels in the serum of 79 HNSCC patients at the time of diagnosis, in 35 patients 3 months after treatment and in 10 patients 1 year after therapy and compared the results to the sera of 31 healthy volunteers. We also constructed tissue microarrays to detect ADAM8 immunohistochemically in 100 patients. The results were correlated with the survival data of the patients to determine the diagnostic and prognostic value.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The data demonstrated that patients with high ADAM8 expression in the tumor have worse survival rates. We found that high ADAM8 serum levels correlated with high ADAM8 expression in tumor samples. Soluble ADAM8 levels did not show any prognostic or diagnostic properties.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In summary ADAM8 expression is a prognostic factor for survival of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zielinski
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brunner
authors.forename: Gregor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Heiduschka
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Seemann
authors.forename: Boban
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Erovic
authors.forename: Dietmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thurnher
mesh_terms: D051722:ADAM Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D046228:Microarray Analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051722:ADAM Proteins; C068490:ADAM8 protein, human