Table 2. Genetic biomarkers related to head and neck tumors and tumor hypoxia.
| Biomarker | Material tested | Method | Result interpretation | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PTEN (Phosphatase and Tensin homolog) | tumor | *IHC | High expression in HNSCC = significant gain in loco-regional control | [191] |
| mTOR (mechanistic Target of Rapamycin) | tumor | IHC | High expression = shorter DFS (laryngeal cancer) | [192] |
| PK-M2 & PK-M1 (Pyruvate kinase isozymes M1/M2) | tumor | IHC | Isoform switch to higher expression of PK-M2 = poor prognosis (HNSCC) | [193] |
| integrin αvβ5 | tumor | IHC | High expression = high risk of metastasis (Laryngeal SCC) | [194] |
| PDK-1 (Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase-1) | tumor | IHC | High expression = poor prognosis (HNSCC) | [195] |
| Ki-67 | tumor | IHC | High expression = good prognosis (Oral SCC) | [196] |
| p27 | tumor | IHC | High expression = good response of HNSCC to chemotherapy (Cisplatin+5FU) | [197] |
| EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) | tumor | IHC | High expression predicts better loco-reg. control of HNSCC with Contin. Hyperfract. Acceler. Radioth. (CHART) | [198] |
| LOX (Lysyl oxidase) | tumor | IHC | High expression = poor overall survival (HNSCC) | [199] |
| *DSPP, OPN, MMP-9 | tumor | IHC | Expression in negative tumor margins predict recurrence of oral cancer | [200] |
| MMP-13 (Matrix metalloproteinase-13) | tumor | IHC | high nuclear MMP-13 expression = poor outcome (tongue cancer) | [201] |
| CytK13, CytK 14 and CytK 16 (Cytokeratins) | tumor | IHC | Loss or downregulation = poor prognosis (recurrence & metastasis of tongue cancer) | [202] |
| CytK19 (Cytokeratin 19) | tumor | IHC | Decreased in tumor: metastasis (HNSCC) | [203] |
| Slug (necessary for HIF-1α induced cadherin switch) | tumor | IHC | High expression = tumor invasion and short survival (HNSCC) | [204] |
| HDAC2 & pVHL (Histone deacetylase 2 & von Hippel–Lindau protein) | tumor | IHC | High HDAC2 & low VHL expression = advanced stage and poor prognosis (Oral SCC) | [205, 206] |
| CTGF (Connective Tissue Growth Factor) | tumor | IHC | High expression = poor prognosis (HNSCC) | [207] |
| Galectin 1 and 3 | tumor | IHC | High expression correlates with tongue SCC metastasis | [208] |
*
IHC: Immunohistochemistry; DSPP: dentinsialophosphoprotein; OPN: osteopontin; MMP-9: matrix metalloproteinase-9 [70]