|
KMID : 0357920120460060515
|
|
Korean Journal of Pathology
2012 Volume.46 No. 6 p.515 ~ p.522
|
|
|
Expression of c-Met Is Different along the Location and Associated with Lymph Node Metastasis of Head and Neck Carcinoma
|
|
Choe Ji-Young
Yun Ji-Yun
Nam Soo-Jeong
Kim Ji-Eun
|
|
|
Abstract
|
|
|
Background: Activation of the c-Met pathway is involved in cancer progression and the prognosis. We aimed to identify any association of c-Met protein expression with a number of clinicopathologic variables including infection of human papillomavirus and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in head and neck carcinomas (HNCa).
Methods: Eighty-two cases were enrolled in this study. Expression of c-Met and p16 was investigated immunohistochemically. EBV was detected by in situ hybridization and amplification of the c-Met gene by fluorescence in situ hybridization.
Results: The c- Met protein was expressed in 41.5% (34/82), and gene amplification was found in 1.4% (1/71). High expression of c-Met was associated with the primary location of the tumor; the hypopharynx showed the highest expression, followed by the oral cavity, larynx, and nasal cavity. Squamous cell carcinoma expressed c-Met more frequently than undifferentiated carcinoma. Also, p16 immunoreactivity or EBV infection was associated with the tumor location and well-differentiated histologic type, but were not linked to c-Met expression. The patients with positive c-Met expression showed frequent lymph node metastasis.
Conclusions: Activation of the c-Met pathway might be involved in a subset of HNCa. Cases showing positive c-Met expression should be carefully monitored because of the high probability of lymph node metastasis.
|
|
|
KEYWORD
|
|
|
Proto-oncogene proteins c-met, Carcinoma, squamous cell, Head and neck neoplasms, Gene amplification, Human papillomavirus
|
|
|
FullTexts / Linksout information
|
|
 
|
|
|
Listed journal information
|
|
  
|