title: MAGE-A1-6   expression in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: impact on clinical patterns and oncologic outcomes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Various subtypes of melanoma-associated antigens (MAGEs) are expressed in the tumor tissues of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, little data are currently available on how the gene expression of MAGEs impacts clinical patterns and oncologic outcomes. We have therefore evaluated the expression of MAGE-A1-6 (A1-6) subtypes in tumor tissues of patients with HNSCC and the clinical impact of this expression.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective review of 53 patients with histologically proven HNSCC of the oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, or hypopharynx who underwent both treatment and analysis by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR assay with a common primer to identify the expression of MAGE-A1-6 subtypes in the tumor tissue. The clinicopathologic factors and oncologic outcomes of these patients and the correlations of both to MAGE-A1-6 gene expression were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MAGE-A1-6 subtypes were expressed in the tumor tissues of 37 patients (69.8 %). Patient age of ≥65 years [p = 0.031, hazard ratio (HR) 4.866] and advanced American Joint Committee on Cancer stage (p = 0.035, HR 4.291) were independent risk factors for expression of MAGE-A1-6 subtypes. Patients with MAGE-A1-6 expression had lower disease-free survival (p = 0.029), disease-specific survival (p = 0.070), and overall survival (p = 0.017) rates. Overall survival rate was independently associated to chemotherapy (p = 0.011, HR 2.859), while no surgery (p = 0.050, HR 2.400) and MAGE-A1-6 expression (p = 0.050, HR 2.527) showed borderline significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our patient group the expression of MAGE-A1-6 subtypes in tumor tissues of patients with HNSCC was correlated with advanced clinical stage of cancer and poor oncologic outcomes. We suggest that gene expression of MAGE-A1-6 subtypes may be considered to be a predictive factor to determine patient treatment or follow-up strategy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kosin University Graduate School, Busan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Tae
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Noh
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kosin University College of Medicine, 34, Amnam-Dong, Seo-Gu, Busan, 602-715, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyoung Shin
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Soo Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kosin University College of Medicine, 34, Amnam-Dong, Seo-Gu, Busan, 602-715, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hee Kyung
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pukyong National University, Busan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Junghwan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine, Daegu, South Korea.
authors.forename: Chang-Ho
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Keimyung University, Daegu, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Wook
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kosin University College of Medicine, 34, Amnam-Dong, Seo-Gu, Busan, 602-715, Republic of Korea. kdlee59@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Kang Dae
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D058950:Melanoma-Specific Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D010039:Otorhinolaryngologic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D058950:Melanoma-Specific Antigens; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins
keywords: Head and neck cancer; Melanoma-associated antigen; Squamous cell carcinoma