title: The amplification of c-erb-B2 in cancer-free surgical margins is a predictor of poor outcome in oral squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: The tumour subtype, TNM classification, and histopathological data are sometimes not sufficient for understanding and assessing the behaviour of oral cancers. In an attempt to find additional markers of tumour biology and behaviour, this study sought to determine the incidence and consequently the relevance of c-erb-B2, c-Myc, and H-ras gene alterations in tumour-free margins of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Fifty samples of OSCC were analyzed for c-erb-B2 and c-Myc amplification by real-time polymerase chain reaction and for H-ras point mutations by sequencing. A relatively high incidence of genetic lesions was detected: 22% of cases had c-erb-B2 and 30% had c-Myc amplification, whilst only 12% harboured H-ras mutations. Kaplan-Meier analysis and the log-rank test showed statistically significant differences in 5-year survival rates and relapse between patients with tumour margins positive for c-erb-B2 amplification and those with margins that were negative (P=0.002). H-ras and c-Myc alterations could not be associated with tumour behaviour. Molecular analysis of margins, targeting cancer genes, could identify additional, independent predictors of risk and outcome in OSCC.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dental Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Jelovac
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tepavčević
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Genetics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nikolić
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dental Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ilić
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Genetics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Eljabo
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Genetics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Popović
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Genetics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Čarkić
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dental Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Konstantinović
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dental Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vukadinović
authors.affiliation: Department of Informatics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Miličić
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Genetics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia. Electronic address: jelena.milasin@stomf.bg.ac.rs.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Milašin
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D018734:Genes, erbB-2; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000072662:Margins of Excision; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: H-ras; amplification; c-Myc; c-erb-B2; mutation; oncogenes; oral cancer