Expression of PTEN and Its Correlation with Proliferation Marker Ki-67 in Head and Neck Cancer

Introduction PTEN is part of large family of tyrosine phosphatases and has been found inactivated in a wide variety of human cancers. Aims In the present study we have tried to determine the association of the expression patterns of this gene with carcinogenesis. Methods First, a systematic review was carried out to ascertain the importance of the PTEN gene and its role in carcinogenesis. In the second phase, a case-control study was designed using different expression analysis techniques. Expression of PTEN mRNA was analyzed using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results Significantly downregulated expression of PTEN was observed in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) compared to adjacent normal-tissue controls. These results were confirmed with quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Significant downregulation of the gene was observed in HNC patients compared to adjacent normal-tissue controls. PTEN expression was correlated with different histopathological parameters of the study cohort by Spearman's correlation coefficient and a significant negative correlation was observed with pT stage (r = −0.271*; pConclusions Our data suggest that downregulation of PTEN and overexpression of Ki-67 may contribute to the initiation and progression of HNC.