Correlation of Ataxia-Telangiectasia-Mutated (ATM) gene loss with outcome in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract

Objectives: Ataxia-Telangiectasia-Mutated (ATM) gene loss has been associated with poor prognosis and treatment resistance in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). We investigated the relationship between ATM loss detected by fluorescence in-situ hybridisation (FISH) with patient outcome, and its relationship with Human Papillomavirus (HPV)/p16INK4A status. Material and methods: Copy number of the ATM gene and chromosome 11 were determined by FISH and HPV status was determined using p16INK4A immunohistochemistry in 87 paraffin embedded tumour samples from patients with HNSCC treated with chemoradiation at a single institution. ATM loss was correlated with patient outcome as both a ..