Analysis of genomic instability in squamous cell carcinoma of the head andneck using the random amplified polymorphic DNA method

Using the random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) method, we identified gen omic instability in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) tissues. We extracted DNA from tumor and corresponding normal tissues of 30 HNSCC pa tients and amplified with ten random 10-mer arbitrary primers by the RAPD m ethod. Genomic instabilities, which appeared as banding pattern changes bet ween normal and tumor DNA, were detected by at least one primer in all tumo r tissues. Moreover, there was significant correlation between the frequenc y of genomic instability and the degree of tumor differentiation. These res ults indicate a possible association of genomic instability with malignant potential of head and neck cancer. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. A ll rights reserved.