Genomic dissection of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/PI3K pathway reveals frequent deletion of the EGFR phosphatase PTPRS in head and neck cancers.

ABSTRACT: Activation of the PI3K and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway is able to drive oncogenesis in multiple human cancers, including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Targeted agents such as cetuximab and erlotinib are currently used in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, but, in this disease, the genomic alterations that cause pathway activation and determine response to pharmacologic inhibition remain ill-defined. Here, we present a detailed dissection of the EGFR/PI3K pathway, composed of sequencing of the core pathway components, and high-resolution genomic copy number assessment. Mutations were found in PIK3CA (6%), but no point mutations were observed in other pathway genes such as PTEN and EGFR. In contrast, we observed frequent copy number alterations

SUBMITTER: Morris LG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3223475 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature