Loss of NKX3-1 as a potential marker for an increased risk of occult lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma

International Journal of Oncology
Ken MiyaguchiHiroshi Tanaka

Abstract

The prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is significantly dependent on the existence of cervical lymph node metastasis (LNM), with the overall survival rate being much lower in patients with LNM. Primary causes and molecular mechanisms of LNM are still largely unclear. We hypothesized that factors related with cancer progress and/or prognosis in OSCC are revealed by genome-wide investigation of DNA copy number aberrations (CNAs). In order to find biomarkers for occult LNM of OSCC, we comprehensively investigated genomic DNAs from 60 OSCC patients using Affymetrix mapping arrays and statistically analyzed correlations between CNAs of genes and the presence of occult LNM in the patients. The genome-wide CNA study indicated significant correlations between the presence of occult LNM and CNAs of certain genes. Through a literature survey, we narrowed down the candidates and focused on loss of NKX3-1, which is a homeodomain-containing transcription factor. NKX3-1 is known as a tumor suppressor gene in prostate cancer but has never been reported in OSCC. Quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC) analyses also showed significantly lower expression of NKX3-1 in the cases with occult LNM, which was further validated...Continue Reading

Citations

Mar 31, 2017·Clinical Oral Investigations·Hai Xia ZhangZhan Gui Tang
Nov 14, 2014·The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews·Mia Schmidt-HansenMarta Roqué I Figuls

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