C-Myc And Bcl-2 Expression In Supraglottic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the expression and prognostic significance of c-myc and bcl-2 oncogenes in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the supraglottic larynx. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study of 61 patients who underwent surgery for SCC of the supraglottic larynx. Gender, age, TNM status, operative procedure, recurrences, and disease-free survival periods were recorded. METHODS: Hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections were reexamined for grade, invasion of tumor margins, lymphovascular invasion, lymphocyte infiltration, and perineural invasion. Immunohistochemical detection of c-myc and bcl-2 oncogenes was performed using monoclonal antibodies. RESULTS: No correlation was observed between either c-myc or bcl-2 and the clinical and histopathologic parameters. Survival analysis revealed no correlation of either c-myc ( P = 0.88) or bcl-2 ( P = 0.85) with the disease-free survival. c-myc expression was found to be significantly higher in bcl-2-positive patients ( P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Neither c-myc nor bcl-2 had shown to be prognostic factor for laryngeal carcinoma in this present study. Correlation between c-myc and bcl-2 supports the experimental observations of cooperative action between these two genes in tumorigenesis.