Correlation of tumor marker expression with nodal disease burden in metastatic head and neck cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the correlation between the percentage of metastatic tumor present in lymph nodes resected from patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC) and level of expression of 3 marker genes: pemphigus vulgaris antigen (PVA), parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP), and tumor-associated calcium signal transducer 1 (TACSTD1). In addition, we investigated whether the level of expression of these 3 markers was associated with clinical outcomes for patients with HNSCC.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of previously harvested patient samples.

SETTING: The University of Pittsburgh.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 448 lymph nodes from 92 patients with HNSCC were evaluated for expression of the gene markers PVA, PTHrP, and TACSTD1 using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Confirmation of metastasis was determined by histologic examination. The expression level of these markers versus tumor percentage was analyzed.

RESULTS: All 3 markers were studied independently and were associated with tumor percentage in metastatic lymph nodes. PVA had the strongest correlation, followed by PTHrP and then TACSTD1. PVA levels had a trend toward association with clinical outcome, specifically time to death caused by cancer, but this was confounded by tumor stage.

CONCLUSION: All 3 tumor gene markers were associated with percentage of tumor cells in metastatic lymph nodes. PVA had the strongest correlation. PVA may add prognostic utility beyond pathologic staging, but this requires analysis of a larger cohort. Prospective studies of tumor volume in metastatic nodes should determine a lower limit threshold of molecular marker detection.