Clinical relevance of erbB-1 and-2 oncogenes in oral carcinomas

To gain a better understanding of molecular changes in oral squamous cell c arcinomas, we tested fresh tumour specimens from 110 patients for erbB-1 an d -2 oncogene aberrations using the competitive differential polymerase cha in reaction. The significance of established tumour characteristics such as TNM stage, differentiation and oncogene aberrations for tumour progression were analyzed. ErbB-2 amplification with a gene ropy number >1.6 in tumour tissue and erbB-1 deletion with a gene copy number <0.4 in tumour-surround ing mucosa are of clinical relevance and indicate an early tumour recurrenc e or metastasis (p < 0.05). In T1/T2 tumours an er erbB-2 gene dosage study allows differentiation between tumours with high or low risk for early pro gression. In a multivariate statistical analysis T stage (p < 0.01) and erb B-2 amplification in tumour material (p < 0.05) were independent prognostic variables. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.