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Low PTEN expression is associated with worse overall survival in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients treated with chemotherapy and cetuximab

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Abstract

Background

Platinum-based chemotherapy associated with cetuximab is the first-line treatment for inoperable recurrence or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). There is no established biomarker for cetuximab efficacy in HNSCC. The PI3K pathway is one of the most frequently altered pathways in HNSCC. Loss of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) expression occurs in up to 30 % of cases.

Methods

This was a retrospective analysis of data from 61 patients with inoperable recurrence or metastatic HNSCC treated with cetuximab. PTEN, epidermal growth factor receptor and p16 expression were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and tested for association with clinical outcomes.

Results

Median overall survival was 11.4 months and progression-free survival was 6.9 months. Low PTEN expression was present in 26.2 % of patients and identified patients with worse prognosis. p16 was positive in only 8.5 % of tumors.

Conclusions

Low PTEN expression in patients treated with cetuximab plus chemotherapy emerged as a prognostic biomarker and should be evaluated for its predictive role for cetuximab efficacy.

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Conflict of interest

All authors declare they have nothing to disclose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Oncology Department, Fundação Antonio Prudente, AC Camargo Cancer Center, 211 Professor Antonio Prudente Street, Liberdade, São Paulo, SP, 01509-900, Brazil

    Alexandre A. B. A. da Costa, Adriana R. Ribeiro, Andréia P. Guimarães, Ludmila T. Chinen & Vladmir C. C. de Lima

  2. Pathology Department, Fundação Antonio Prudente, AC Camargo Cancer Center, 211 Professor Antonio Prudente Street, Liberdade, São Paulo, SP, 01509-900, Brazil

    Felipe D’Almeida Costa & Clóvis A. P. Lopes

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  1. Alexandre A. B. A. da Costa
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  2. Felipe D’Almeida Costa
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Correspondence to Alexandre A. B. A. da Costa.

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da Costa, A.A.B.A., D’Almeida Costa, F., Ribeiro, A.R. et al. Low PTEN expression is associated with worse overall survival in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients treated with chemotherapy and cetuximab. Int J Clin Oncol 20, 282–289 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10147-014-0707-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10147-014-0707-1

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