PURPOSE: In previous studies, we have shown that the T allele of a specific single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the Galphas gene (T393C) correlates with increased Galphas expression and hence apoptosis. The T allele was associated with a favorable outcome in a variety of human cancers, e.g., carcinoma of the urinary bladder, kidney, and colorectum. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: The prognostic value of the T393C SNP was evaluated in an unselected series of patients treated with curative intent for oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas, including all tumor stages with different therapeutic regimens. Genotype analysis was done using DNA from paraffin-embedded tissue samples from 202 patients (162 men, 40 women) with a median follow-up of 38 months (1-133 months). The various genotypes were correlated with relapse-free and overall survival. RESULTS: GNAS1 393C homozygous patients displayed a higher risk for disease progression than T393 homozygous patients (hazard ratio CC versus TT, 1.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-3.2; P = 0.019). The same genotype effect was observed for overall survival with CC genotypes at higher risk for death compared with TT genotypes (hazard ratio, 1.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-2.9; P = 0.015). Multivariate analysis showed that, besides American Joint Committee on Cancer stage, tumor localization, and gender, the T393C polymorphism was an independent prognostic factor for disease progression and death. CONCLUSION: The T393C SNP could be considered as a genetic marker to predict the clinical course of patients suffering from oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer.

Lehnerdt GF, Franz P, Zaqoul A, Schmitz KJ, Grehl S, Lang S, Schmid KW, Siffert W, Jahnke K, Frey UH.

Authors’ Affiliations: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Institute of Pathology and Neuropathology, Department of Radiotherapy at the West German Cancer Center Essen, Institute of Pharmacogenetics, Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, and Member of the West-German Cancer Center Essen (WTZE), University of Essen, Essen, Germany.