Human papillomavirus, p16, and epidermal growth factor receptor biomarkers and CT perfusion values in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma tumors positive for laboratory biomarkers hrHPV and p16 and negative for EGFR often respond better to nonsurgical organ-preservation therapy than hrHPV-negative, p16-negative, and EGFR overexpressing tumors. CTP has been shown to distinguish which locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinomas will respond to induction chemotherapy or chemoradiation. Our purpose was to determine whether a relationship exists between CTP measures and the expression of these laboratory biomarkers, because both appear to separate head and neck squamous cell carcinoma tumors into similar groups.


METHODS
We conducted an institutional review board-approved, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant retrospective review of head and neck CTP in 25 patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma who had signed informed consent. Eight women and 17 men, 41-80 years of age, constituted a pretreatment group of 18 patients and a palliative group of 7 patients. Tumor biopsy samples were analyzed for overexpression of hrHPV, p16, and EGFR. The hrHPV, p16, and EGFR status of the tumors was correlated with CTP parameters (MTT, BV, BF, CP) by using the Wilcoxon evaluation and Fischer exact test.


RESULTS
There were significantly lower CP values in pretreatment tumors overexpressing EGFR (P = .04). CP values ≤17.23 were significantly correlated with EGFR overexpression (P = .015). A trend toward higher CP values was present in hrHPV-positive and p16-overexpressing pretreatment tumors (P = .14).


CONCLUSIONS
A significant correlation exists between CTP measures and EGFR overexpression in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas, suggesting an association between certain imaging findings and molecular biomarkers. These results may be related to a tumor cell survival mechanism linking perfusion and biomarker expression.
Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. nickoleta.hoefling@stonybrook.edu
N L
NL
Hoefling
J B
JB
McHugh
E
E
Light
B
B
Kumar
H
H
Walline
M
M
Prince
C
C
Bradford
T E
TE
Carey
S K
SK
Mukherji
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D052685:Alphapapillomavirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology*; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D055420:Perfusion Imaging / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C000614131:CDKN2A protein, human; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D066246:ErbB Receptors