Copy number increase of oncoprotein CIP2A is associated with poor patient survival in human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

: Routila J, Bilgen T, Saramäki O, Grénman R, Visakorpi T, Westermarck J, Ventelä S

: 2016

: Journal of Oral Pathology and Medicine

: 45

: 5

: 329

: 337

: 9

: 0904-2512

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jop.12372(external)

Background

CIP2A,
an inhibitor of PP2A tumour suppressor function, is a widely
overexpressed biomarker of aggressive disease and poor therapy response
in multiple human cancer types.

Methods

CIP2A and DPPA4 copy number alterations and expression were analysed by fluorescence in situ
hybridisation (FISH) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in different cell
lines and a tissue microarray of 52 HNSCC patients. Results were
correlated with patient survival and other clinicopathological data.

Results

CIP2A
and DPPA4 copy number increase occurred at a relatively high frequency
in human HNSCC patient samples. CIP2A but not DPPA4 FISH status was
significantly associated with patient survival. CIP2A detection by
combining IHC with FISH yielded superior resolution in the
prognostication of HNSCC.

Conclusions

CIP2A
copy number increase is associated with poor patient survival in human
HNSCC. We suggest that the reliability and prognostic value of CIP2A
detection can be improved by performing FISH analysis to CIP2A IHC
positive tumours.