SEARCH FOR PROGNOSTIC FACTORS IN HEAD AND NECK-CANCER

Fifteen patients with head and neck carcinoma were treated with irradi ation (14-70 Gy telecobalt). Apoptotic and mitotic index, DNA index, r atio of cells in S phase, p53 protein overexpression in untreated tumo urs as well as the changes of these parameters after the first 2 Gy ir radiation-except proliferative kinetics parameters-were examined in or der to determine the prognostic value of these factors. The data show that inducibility of apoptosis is very low in head and neck carcinomas which correlate with the unfavourable prognosis. The decrease in mito tic index after the first 2 Gy irradiation, which occurred in 7 cases- 5 of them still alive-indicates a better chance for relatively longer survival. In immunohistochemically p53 positive tumours frequently occ urring aneuploidy and elevated S-phase rate were found.