2008 Volume 54 Issue 6 Pages 374-380
Aberrations on the short arm of chromosome 8 (8p) are frequent events in several human cancers. In this study, 20 specimens of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the tongue were examined to evaluate the role of 8p in tongue SCC.
Microsatellite analysis using 14 markers demonstrated two commonly deleted regions (CDRs) on 8p. Reverse transcription-PCR (RT PCR) revealed frequent down-regulation of the FEZ1 gene, mapped at 8p22, and frequent over-expression of the Cathepsin B gene, mapped at 8p-21-22. The present results suggest that genetic aberrations are involved in the development of tongue SCC; however, no significant relation was observed between those alterations and clinicopathological features. Thus, further investigations are necessary to clarify the clinical roles of 8p in tongue carcinoma.
