Ultraviolet light-related DNA damage mutation signature distinguishes cutaneous from mucosal or other origin for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary site.

BACKGROUND

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary site (HNSCCUP) is a diagnostic challenge. Identification of an ultraviolet (UV) light-related DNA damage signature using next-generation sequencing (NGS) can classify the primary site of origin as cutaneous.

METHODS

A 62-year-old male was seen with 2 months of left neck swelling. He was a lifetime nonsmoker but had a history of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the left helix. He was also found to have left hilar adenopathy. He had a p16-negative HNSCCUP on fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy of the left neck.

RESULTS

NGS of the FNA specimen revealed a high number of somatic mutations that were mostly C to T transitions, indicating a UV mutation signature and confirming the diagnosis of cutaneous SCC.

CONCLUSIONS

Identification of a UV DNA damage signature with NGS distinguishes HNSCCUP of cutaneous vs mucosal or other squamous cell carcinoma origin.