Two Sites of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Utility of Loss of Heterozygosity

Abstract

Objectives:

The prevalence of distant metastasis and second primary tumors is increasing with improved locoregional control in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Traditionally, clinicopathologic evidence has been the gold standard used to distinguish distant metastasis from second primary tumors. We report a case in which loss of heterozygosity testing was used to clarify the clonal relationship between the 2 sites of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Methods:

A patient with squamous cell carcinoma in the larynx and mandible underwent loss of heterozygosity testing.

Results:

The loss of heterozygosity testing confirmed that the mandibular cancer was a metastatic presentation of the laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Conclusions:

We conclude that loss of heterozygosity testing can be useful in differentiating distant metastasis from second primary cancers in patients with 2 sites of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, consequently providing important prognostic and staging information.