The role of peptide growth factors in head and neck carcinoma.

Peptide growth factors are proteins that stimulate cellular proliferation by binding to specific cell membrane receptors. Evidence is accumulating that abnormal regulation of growth factors may contribute to carcinogenesis. The epithelial growth factors, EGF and TGF-alpha, which share the same receptor, EGFR, may play a pivotal role in the development and maintenance of head and neck cancer; preliminary studies concerning TGF-beta and IL-2 are inconclusive. There is increased production of TGF-alpha and EGFR mRNA in the majority of fresh tissues and cell lines from patients with SCCHN. This increase results from transcriptional activation of the gene(s). Therapies directed at the regulation of gene transcription may be useful in chemoprevention or modulation of disease. Nuclear studies that target up-regulated growth factor receptors may improve the ability to detect microscopic regional metastatic disease.