The prognostic role of phospho-Src family kinase analysis in tongue cancer

Abstract

The up regulation of Phospho-Src family kinase oncogene has been correlated with reduced postoperative survival in various cancers but never in tongue cancer. We analyzed phospho-Src family kinase in 39 tongue (mobile) cancer patients by immunohistochemistry, compared these results with similar analysis for TUNEL and c-erbB-2 and with both clinical tumor characteristics and patient survival probability rates. Phospho-Src family kinase overexpression was found in most tongue cancer biopsies (62%), significantly correlating with tumors larger in size (P = 0.05), progression—lymph node metastasis (0.004) and stage (P = 0.05), and correlating with TUNEL (P = 0.01) and c-erbB-2 (P = 0.05) expression rates. At 60 months, survival probability for negative phospho-Src family kinase level (=0) patients was 67%, but 30% for positive phospho-Src family kinase level (>0) patients (P = 0.05). Inverse correlation between phospho-Src family kinase and patient survival demonstrates the prognostic role of phospho-Src family kinase in tongue cancer. These findings suggest a novel link between phospho-Src family kinase and TUNEL and c-erbB-2 pathways, tilting the balance toward cell proliferation.