Cyclin D1 overexpression versus response to induction chemotherapy in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck--preliminary report.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is an association between overexpression of cyclin D1 and response to therapy. Immunohistochemical overexpression of cyclin D1 was determined in paraffin-embedded specimens from diagnostic biopsies of 89 primary cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN), using a polyclonal antiserum. The tumor response rates were estimated after curative treatment (i.e. surgery and/or radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy). Patients whose tumors were overexpressing cyclin D1 showed complete or partial response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy with cisplatin/5-FU. In addition, a majority of cyclin D1 negative tumors did not respond at all to this treatment (p = 0.02, Fisher's exact test). This study indicates that immunohistochemical assessment of cyclin D1 expression in SCCHN could be a new predictive marker to select a subgroup of patients that will benefit from neoadjuvant chemotherapy.