High-Risk Mutations Are Associated with Extranodal Extension in Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Development of extranodal extension (ENE) has been associated with poor survival in patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Here, we sought to confirm the role of ENE as a poor prognostic factor, and identify genomic and epigenetic markers of ENE in order to develop a predictive model and improve treatment selection. An institutional cohort (The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center) was utilized to confirm the impact of ENE on clinical outcomes and evaluate the genomic signature of primary and ENE containing tissue.

Distinct pattern of TP53 mutations in human immunodeficiency virus-related head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus-infected individuals (HIVIIs) have a higher incidence of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), and clinical and histopathological differences have been observed in their tumors in comparison with those of HNSCC patients without a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The reasons for these differences are not clear, and molecular differences between HIV-related HNSCC and non-HIV-related HNSCC may exist. This study compared the mutational patterns of HIV-related HNSCC and non-HIV-related HNSCC.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue in young non-smokers is genomically similar to tumors in older smokers.

Purpose: Epidemiologic studies have identified an increasing incidence of squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue (SCCOT) in younger patients.

Experimental Design: DNA isolated from tongue tumors of young (<45 years, non-smokers) and old (>45 years) patients at was subjected to whole-exome sequencing and copy-number analysis. These data were compared with data from similar patients in the TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) project.