No germline mutations in CDKN2A (p16) in patients with squamous cell cancer of the head and neck and second primary tumours

There is increasing evidence that predisposition to some cancers has a gene tic component. There is a high incidence of loss of heterozygosity on chrom osome 9, in the region of tumour suppressor gene, CDKN2A (also known as p16 ), in sporadic squamous cell cancer of the head and neck (SCCHN). To invest igate the possibility that CDKN2A may be involved in the inherited suscepti bility to SCCHN, the 3 coding exons of CDKN2A were sequenced in 40 patients who had developed a second primary cancer after an index squamous cell can cer of the head and neck. No mutations were found and we conclude that CDKN 2A mutations do not play a major role in cancer susceptibility in this grou p. (C) 2001 Cancer Research Campaign.