Rapid molecular detection of metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma as an intraoperative adjunct to sentinel lymph node biopsy.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives/hypothesis

Clinical staging of early head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCCHN) is often inaccurate, leading to elective neck dissection to detect the 30% of patients with micrometastatic disease. Sentinel node biopsy accurately stages the regional lymphatics, but intraoperative pathology is only moderately sensitive, and final pathology takes several days to complete. To facilitate immediate neck dissection where necessary, we have identified several promising marker genes of SCCHN metastasis and developed a rapid, accurate, and automated quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (qRT-PCR) assay for intraoperative use.

Study design

Prospective tissue collection, retrospective pathologic correlation with qRT-PCR.

Methods

From a 40-gene marke

SUBMITTER: Ferris RL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3418874 | biostudies-literature | 2012 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature