MYC AMPLIFICATION IN SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMAS OF THE HEAD AND NECK

Objectives: To establish the frequency of MYC amplification in squamou s cell carcinoma (SCC) of the head and neck and to evaluate its correl ation with clinicopathologic variables that are used in clinical pract ice. Design: Cohort analytic study. Setting: University hospital. Pati ents: Fifty-nine consecutive patients with SCC of the head and neck. I ntervention: Oncologic surgery. Main Outcome Measures: The MYC copy nu mber in tumor samples was estimated with the polymerase chain reaction . The presence or absence of amplification was correlated with the ana tomic site, T stage, nodal involvement, pathologic grade, recurrence, distant metastases, and survival. Results: Six SCC specimens (11%) sho wed MYC amplification. A highly statistical correlation between MYC am plification and T stage was noted (P<.005). Amplification was also sig nificantly correlated with a hypopharyngeal primary site (P<.05). No c orrelation among amplification status, nodal involvement, pathologic g rade, relapse, metastases, and survival was observed. Conclusions: Amp lification of MYC is associated with advanced primary tumors, and it a ppears to be a late event in the tumorigenesis of SCCS of the head and neck. However, there is no correlation between MYC amplification and prognosis.