Tumour stage, node stage, p53 gene status, and bcl-2 protein expression as predictors of tumour response to platin-fluorouracil chemotherapy in patients with squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck

The purpose of this study was to establish the relative contribution of tumour stage, node stage, p53 gene status, p53 expression, and bcl-2 protein expression to tumour response to platin-fluorouracil chemotherapy in 141 patients with squamous-cell carcinomas of the head and neck. Tumour response was measured at the primary site after three cycles of chemotherapy. Exons 2–10 and the coding part of exon 11 were sequenced on both strands. Bcl-2 or p53 expression was detected by immunohistochemistry. Predictor variables of objective response (reduction of at least 50% of tumour size) were tested in univariate and multivariate analyses. P53 mutations were found in 52 patients (37%). Tumour cells expressed p53 in 84 cases (59%) and bcl-2 in 25 cases (18%). T1 or T2 stage (adjusted odds ratio, 3.3; 95% confidence intervall 1.3–8.7; P=0.01), N0 node stage (adjusted odds ratio, 2.7; 95% confidence interval 1.1–6.4; P=0.03), p53 wild-type gene (adjusted odds ratio, 4 .0; 95% confidence interval 1.7–9.5; P=0.002), and bcl-2 protein expression (adjusted odds ratio, 20; 95% confidence interval 2.3–170; P=0.006), were positively associated with tumour response. P53 protein expression was not predictive of response. In conclusion, tumour stage, node stage, p53 gene status, and bcl-2 expression are independent predictors of tumour response to platin-fluorouracil in patients with squamous-cell carcinomas of the head and neck. British Journal of Cancer (2002) 87, 1390–1395. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6600648 www.bjcancer.com © 2002 Cancer Research UK