title: Delineating an epigenetic continuum in head and neck cancer.
abstract: A tissue field of somatic genetic alterations precedes the histopathological phenotypic changes of carcinoma. Genomic changes could be of potential use in the diagnosis and prognosis of pre-invasive squamous head and neck carcinoma (HNSCC) lesions and as markers for cancer risk assessment. Studies of sequential molecular alterations and genetic progression of pre-invasive HNSCC have not been clearly defined. Studies have shown recurring alterations at chromosome 9p21 (location of the CDKN2A) and TP53 mutations in the early stages of HNSCC. However, gene silencing via hypermethylation is still a relatively new idea in the development of HNSCC and little is known about the contribution of epigenetics to the development of neoplasia, its transformation, progression, and recurrence in HNSCC. This review examines the role of promoter hypermethylation of tumor suppressor genes in the progression continuum from benign papillomas to malignancy in HNSCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI, United States. Electronic address: mworsha1@hfhs.org.
authors.forename: Maria J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Worsham
authors.forename: Josena K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Stephen
authors.forename: Kang Mei
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shaleta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Havard
authors.forename: Veena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Glendon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.forename: Vanessa G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Schweitzer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics; D019175:DNA Methylation; D018450:Disease Progression; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005820:Genetic Testing; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D010212:Papilloma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D010641:Phenotype; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor