Objective: To access prognosis and explore neck lymph nodes micrometastasis in larynx and pharynx squamous cell carcinoma (LPSCC) with loss of heterozygosity (LOH).
Method: By polymerase chain reaction (PCR), 18 cases of LPSCC and 72 resected neck lymph nodes were investigated with LOH at D9S171 locus.
Result: The higher level of LOH (40.28%) was found in neck lymph nodes compared with the positive level of neck lymph nodes detected by pathological examination (8.33%) (P < 0.01); LOH was related with tumor differentiation in patients with LPSCC (P < 0.05). The LOH rate of primary tumor was closely correlated with the clinical stages (P < 0.01).
Conclusion: Our results suggested that analysis of LOH at D9S171 locus is one of sensitive means of evaluating neck lymph node micrometastasis, and which may be one of prognostic factors in patients with LPSCC.