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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Timothy Bates, Dr Michaela Goodson, Professor Peter Thomson, Professor Philip Sloan, Dr Ralf KistORCiD, Dr Max RobinsonORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND).
Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a global healthcare problem associated with poor patient outcomes. Early detection is key to improving patient survival. OSCC may be preceded by clinically-recognisable lesions, termed oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD). As histological assessment of OPMD does not accurately predict their clinical behaviour, biomarkers are required to detect cases at risk of malignant transformation. Epidermal growth factor receptor gene copy number (EGFR GCN) is a validated biomarker in lung non-small cell carcinoma. We examined EGFR GCN in OPMD and OSCC to determine its potential as a biomarker in oral carcinogenesis. Methods: EGFR GCN was examined by in situ hybridisation (ISH) in biopsies from 78 patients with OPMD and 92 patients with early-stage (stages I and II) OSCC. EGFR ISH signals were scored by two pathologists and a category assigned by consensus. The data were correlated with patient demographics and clinical outcomes. Results: OPMD with abnormal EGFR GCN were more likely to undergo malignant transformation than diploid cases. EGFR genomic gain was detected in a quarter of early-stage OSCC, but did not correlate with clinical outcomes. Conclusion: These data suggest that abnormal EGFR GCN has clinical utility as a biomarker for the detection of OPMD destined to undergo malignant transformation. Prospective studies are required to verify this finding. It remains to be determined if EGFR GCN could be used to select patients for EGFR-targeted therapies. Impact: Abnormal EGFR GCN is a potential biomarker for identifying OPMD that are at risk of malignant transformation.
Author(s): Bates T, Kennedy M, Diajil A, Goodson M, Thomson P, Doran E, Farrimond H, Thavaraj S, Sloan P, Kist R, Robinson M
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention
Year: 2016
Volume: 25
Issue: 6
Pages: 927-935
Online publication date: 08/04/2016
Acceptance date: 11/03/2016
Date deposited: 08/06/2016
ISSN (print): 1055-9965
ISSN (electronic): 1538-7755
Publisher: American Association for Cancer Research
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-15-0949
DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-15-0949
PubMed id: 27197272
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