engleski

Clinical implication of epigenetic findings in head and neck cancer diagnosis and patient follow-up

Oral and oropharyngeal cancers are some of the most common types of head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC). HNSCC is commonly caused by heavy smoking and alcohol consumption and to a lesser extent by the human papillomavirus virus (HPV) ; especially the oropharyngeal ones. MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) functions have been linked to cancer progression and chemo- or radiotherapy resistance, while higher expression of microRNA-9 (miR-9) was associated with poor overall survival, disease-free survival, and recurrence of free survival in various cancers. Thus, we conducted a survey on miR-9 and miR-21 in 63 oral and oropharyngeal carcinoma collected at the Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Dubrava between 2015 and 2018 to establish their prognostic biomarker values. There were 23% HPV positive cancers, of which 41% and 17% positive were oropharyngeal and oral cancers, respectively. Disease free survival curve was best among oropharyngeal HPV+ cancers and worst for the oral cavity HPV+ cancers ; although the follow-up time is still in most cases short. Statistical analysis of miR-9 and miR-21 levels was highly suggestive as potential biomarkers in oropharyngeal cancers but not in oral cancers. Higher levels of miR-9 were expressed in HPV+ oropharyngeal cancers, poorer differentiated tumors and in higher stage oropharyngeal cancers. Levels of miR-21 were lower in HPV+ cancers ; especially in oropharnygeal and advanced stage oropharyngeal cancers. This observation was quite the opposite to miR-9 levels. In addition, with higher N stage the levels of miR-21 were lower, while the levels of miR-9 were higher in oropharyngeal cancers. In conclusion, our results support the potential clinical value of miR-9 and miR-21 as prognostic biomarkers for oropharyngeal carcinoma.

epigenetic ; microRNA ; head and neck cancer

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