title: Predictors of cervical lymph node metastasis in salivary gland cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study compares clinicopathological parameters with novel molecular markers for predicting cervical lymph node metastasis in salivary gland cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred sixteen salivary gland carcinomas were included in this study. Genomic epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), and hepatocyte growth factor receptor (MET) was determined by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Chi-square tests, multivariate regression, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were used for statistics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nodal staging determines long-term survival. Clinicopathological parameters associated with positive neck nodes are advanced age (p = .006), T3/T4 classification, histological high-grade malignancy, and diagnosis of salivary duct carcinoma (p < .001 each). Neck node metastases also correlate with copy number gain of EGFR (p = .004) and HER2, aberration of MET, and deletion of PTEN (p < .001 each). Multivariate analysis showed SDC (p = .002) to be the strongest predictor of lymph node metastasis, followed by MET aberration (p = .009), T3/T4 classification (p = .017), PTEN deletion (p = .042), and adenocarcinoma not otherwise specified (NOS; p = .047).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The histological subtype is crucial for decisions regarding neck dissection. New molecular parameters may also indicate elective treatment of the neck.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Regensburg University Medical Center, Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ettl
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gosau
authors.forename: Gero
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brockhoff
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schwarz-Furlan
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Agaimy
authors.forename: Torsten E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Reichert
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rohrmeier
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zenk
authors.forename: Heinrich
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Iro
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017353:Gene Deletion; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D037981:Neck Dissection; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D066246:ErbB Receptors; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human; C494929:PTEN protein, human
keywords: MET; PTEN; nodal metastasis; predictors; salivary gland cancer