In:
Clinical Cancer Research, American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), Vol. 15, No. 5 ( 2009-03-01), p. 1645-1654
Abstract:
Purpose: This study aimed to test the hypothesis that elevated expression of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins predicts a poor therapeutic response of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) to concurrent platinum-based chemoradiation therapy. Experimental Design: Levels of Bcl-2, Bcl-XL, and Bcl-w were determined and correlated with resistance to cisplatin in a large panel of cell lines derived from squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC). Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to evaluate the relationship between Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL expression and disease-free survival following chemoradiation therapy in a uniformly treated cohort of patients with OPSCC. Results: In HNSCC cell lines, high endogenous Bcl-2 expression was associated with increased cisplatin resistance, and experimental overexpression of Bcl-2 promoted cisplatin resistance. In patients, tumors positive for Bcl-2 before treatment had greater risk of treatment failure (hazard ratio, 5.99; 95% confidence interval, 1.73–20.8; P = 0.0014). In contrast, endogenous Bcl-XL showed no correlation either with cisplatin sensitivity in the cell line panel in vitro, or with risk of recurrence in vivo (hazard ratio, 1.28; 95% confidence interval, 0.39–4.19; P = 0.68). Associations between Bcl-2 expression and other clinical characteristics did not account for the predictive value of Bcl-2. Conclusions: Immunohistochemical assessment of Bcl-2 in pretreatment biopsy specimens can predict response of advanced OPSCC to concurrent platinum-based chemoradiation. As treatments targeting Bcl-2 and its family members become available, this immunohistochemical assessment could help personalize therapy by identifying a subpopulation of patients with a poor prognosis who might benefit from such treatments.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
1078-0432
,
1557-3265
DOI:
10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-08-2581
Language:
English
Publisher:
American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
Publication Date:
2009
detail.hit.zdb_id:
1225457-5
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2036787-9
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