Aberrations of erbB-1 and erbB-2 oncogenes in non-dyplastic leukoplakias of the oral cavity

The purpose of this study was to analyse erbB-1 and erbB-2 oncogenes in non -dysplastic oral leukoplakia to see if we could pinpoint the first steps to wards dysplasia and possible carcinogenesis. Fresh biopsy specimens of leuk oplakia in 13 patients with no history of oral cancer were examined using t he competitive-differential polymerase chain reaction. The mean gene copy n umbers of erbB-1 and erbB-2 mere calculated from the formula to compare the absolute quantities of reference gene and oncogene from 23 patients who di d not have leukoplakia, Healthy mucosa was taken as controls. In eight pati ents with leukoplakias, the results indicated aberrations of the erbB-1 onc ogene, and two patients had gene dosage changes of erbB-2, There were no si gns of deletions or amplifications in the controls. These results suggest t hat aberrations of erbB-1 and erbB-2 are additional markers in premalignant oral lesions at the beginning of the carcinogenic process, and that geneti c alterations in histologically non-dysplastic premalignant oral lesions ar e common.