Molecular biology

Molecular biology

According to The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), alterations in p53 (83%) and CDKN2A (57%) are the two most frequent genomic mutations noted in HPV-negative cancers of the head and neck (of which oral cancer is an example). This contrasts with HPV-positive tumours, found most frequently in the oropharynx, which have a considerably lower mutational burden and consistently retain p53 ‘wild-type’ status. It is, however, important to note that, as yet, the current standard of care in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), - including oral cavity cancers, is not based on or influenced by genetic profiling or molecular biology . Molecular biology

According to The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), alterations in p53 (83%) and CDKN2A (57%) are the two most frequent genomic mutations noted in HPV-negative cancers of the head and neck (of which oral cancer is an example). This contrasts with HPV-positive tumours, found most frequently in the oropharynx, which have a considerably lower mutational burden and consistently retain p53 ‘wild-type’ status. It is, however, important to note that, as yet, the current standard of care in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), - including oral cavity cancers, is not based on or influenced by genetic profiling or molecular biology .