title: No evidence for desmocollin 3 to serve as a prognostic marker in primary radiotherapy of head and neck cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the role of desmocollin 3 expression in radiation sensitivity and survival in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tissue samples of 40 patients undergoing primary radiotherapy were stained for desmocollin 3, a transmembrane desmosomal protein. The protein expression was determined by immunohistochemistry. A retrospective chart review was performed to assess overall survival, radiation sensitivity, and disease-free interval.
  
  
  RESULTS
  18 of 40 patients showed desmocollin 3 immunoreactivity. 78 % (14/18) showed radiation sensitivity in the desmocollin 3 positive group, whereas 59 % (13/22) underwent remission in the desmocollin 3 negative group (p = 0.2). The median overall and disease-free survival time was 21 and 26 months, respectively. Univariate and multivariable Cox regression models revealed no statistically significant hazard ratios.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this cohort of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, we found no evidence for a predictive potential of desmocollin 3.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Waehriger Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria, dominik.riss@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: Dominik
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Riss
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pammer
authors.forename: Matthaeus C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Grasl
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaider
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Boban M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Erovic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D051187:Desmocollins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000401:mortality*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C490356:DSC3 protein, human; D051187:Desmocollins