Mechanisms of C-myc oncogenic activity in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
Nicholas Mastronikolis, Vasileios Ragos, Efthymios Kyrodimos, Aristeidis Chrysovergis, Vasileios Papanikolaou, Stylianos Mastronikolis, Αθανάσιος Σταματελόπουλος, Evangelos Tsiambas
Abstract
Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) demonstrates increased rates due to pathogenetic factors including tobacco, chronic alcohol consumption and also viral-mediated deregulation. During carcinogenetic process, laryngeal epithelia accumulate gross chromosome and specific gene aberrations. Oncogenes’ overactivation is a crucial genetic event in malignant and pre-malignant neoplastic epithelia. Among oncogenes, C-myc (gene locus: 8q24.12-q24.13) acts as a strong transcription factor, implicated in the control of cell differentiation and apoptosis. Upregulation of the gene - due to increased copy numbers (amplification) - seems to be correlated with aggressive biological behaviour in LSCCs. In the current special molecular article we explored the role of C-myc deregulation in LSCC.