c-erbB-2 gene amplification in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Abstract

Amplification of the c-erbB-2 gene has been associated with poor prognosis in different types of cancer. However, there are no data on the c-erbB-2 expression levels in nasopharyngeal cancer. In this study, amplification of the gene has been investigated in the tumor tissue of patients with nasopharyngeal cancer by competitive polymerase chain reaction c-erbB-2 amplification was observed in 43.3% of the patients. The increase in the gene copy number correlated with the T stage. No correlation was found with lymph node involvement, histologic grade, differentiation, presence of metastases, or age and sex. We conclude that c-erbB-2 amplification may contribute to the pathogenesis of nasopharyngeal cancer. Our report is the first study investigating the expression of the c-erbB-2 gene in nasopharyngeal cancer at the DNA level.

• Authors: H Yazici, M Altun, C Alatli, O Dogan, N Dalay
• Journal: Cancer investigation (Cancer Invest) Vol. 18 Issue 1 Pg. 6-10 ( 2000) ISSN: 0735-7907 [Print] England
• PMID: 10701361 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Receptor, ErbB-2

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Female
• Gene Amplification
• Genes, erbB-2
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms (genetics, pathology)
• Neoplasm Metastasis
• Neoplasm Staging
• Receptor, ErbB-2 (genetics)