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Published on: April 22, 2019
Site-specific molecular signatures predict aggressive disease in HNSCC
Thomas J Belbin1, Nicolas F Schlecht, Richard V Smith
1Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USA. tbelbin@aecom.yu.edu
Head and Neck Pathology
|July 9, 2010
Summary
Gene expression profiling in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) reveals site-specific signatures. Anatomic location significantly influences outcome predictions, impacting aggressive versus non-aggressive disease classification.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Genomics
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) display variable behavior not predicted by primary tumor histopathology.
- Gene expression patterns may offer insights into HNSCC aggressiveness and patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate gene expression profiles in HNSCC from distinct anatomic sites (oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx/hypopharynx).
- To identify gene expression signatures associated with aggressive versus non-aggressive disease phenotypes.
- To determine the influence of primary tumor anatomic site on gene expression patterns and outcome prediction.
Main Methods:
- Utilized microarray analysis of 27,323 cDNA clones to generate gene expression profiles for 36 HNSCC primary tumors.
- Compared gene expression between aggressive (progressed within 24 months) and non-aggressive disease phenotypes.
- Analyzed gene expression overlap and differences across oral cavity, oropharynx, and larynx/hypopharynx HNSCC.
Main Results:
- Identified distinct gene expression profiles for HNSCC originating from different anatomic sites.
- Found limited overlap in differentially expressed genes between any two sites.
- Observed significant overlap in down-regulated genes in tumor/normal comparisons for oropharynx and larynx/hypopharynx HNSCC.
- Concluded that common gene expression changes reflect tumor development, while site-specific signatures relate to tumor-host interactions and disease aggressiveness.
Conclusions:
- HNSCC tumors from different anatomic sites exhibit common gene expression changes related to tumor development.
- Site-specific gene expression signatures are associated with aggressive disease and likely influenced by tumor-host interactions.
- Anatomic site is a critical factor influencing gene expression profiling for predicting HNSCC outcomes.