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EGFR expression in advanced head and neck cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma
Author(s) -
Sweeny Larissa,
Dean Nichole R.,
Magnuson J. Scott,
Carroll William R.,
Helman Emily E.,
Hyde Stephen O.,
Desmond Renee L.,
Rosenthal Eben L.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
head and neck
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.012
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1097-0347
pISSN - 1043-3074
DOI - 10.1002/hed.21802
Subject(s) - medicine , stage (stratigraphy) , epidermal growth factor receptor , head and neck , oncology , head and neck squamous cell carcinoma , metastasis , distant metastasis , basal cell , downregulation and upregulation , disease , pathology , head and neck cancer , cancer , biology , surgery , gene , paleontology , biochemistry
Background The significance of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression in advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the head and neck remains poorly understood. Methods We performed a retrospective review of patients with advanced‐stage (stage III or stage IV) cutaneous SCC of the head and neck ( n = 56). Results The majority of patients (91%) had stage III disease, with 54% having regional metastasis and 9% with distant metastasis. Two‐year survival was 64% and the 5‐year survival was 56%. EGFR was found to be overexpressed in 56% of primary tumors and 58% of regional metastatic disease. Overall survival did not correlate with EGFR ( p = .47) expression in primary lesions, nor was it associated with an increase in regional ( p = .74) or distant metastasis ( p = .56). Furthermore, there was no correlation between clinicopathologic characteristics and EGFR expression Conclusions These data do not suggest upregulation of EGFR is associated with poor survival or aggressive disease. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2012