Objective Tumors of the upper aerodigestive tract (lung, head and neck, esophageal) are the major cause of cancer related deaths in Europe, with an estimated 436,700 deaths in 2006. No screening for early detection has proven effective and most patients are diagnosed with incurable disease. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a common histologic type developing via a series of stages from normal epithelium, through metaplasia to dysplasia, then carcinoma in situ and finally invasive cancer. Notably, the majority of the preinvasive lesions reverts back to normal or do not progress. The identification of molecular markers predictive of progression from preinvasive to invasive cancer is the key to develop successful screening tools. Genomic alterations are particularly suitable molecular markers of cancer. The most common genomic abnormality in SCC is gene amplification on chromosome 3q. Despite several candidate oncogene(s) having been identified in this region, due to limits of resolution of current techniques, the minuscule amount of tissue from preinvasive lesions and the fact that most studies were done before the human genome sequence was available, the relevance of these genes in the etiology of SCC is controversial and the precise target(s) of 3q amplification remains ill defined. This project will characterize the 3q amplified region (amplicon) in preinvasive lesions that precede head and neck cancer and lung cancer using molecular copy number counting, a new technique based on PCR, which requires small amounts of DNA and evaluates many genomic loci simultaneously. Mapping of 3q amplicon will be performed on archival and prospectively collected biopsies. We expect to better define the candidate oncogene(s) in this region. These markers, acting as surrogates of pre-cancer, could allow the development of tools to select subjects at higher risk, who might benefit from intense surveillance and/or early treatment and could also be used as endpoints in cancer-prevention trials. Fields of science medical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologylung cancermedical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologyskin cancersquamous cell carcinomamedical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologyhead and neck cancernatural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticschromosomes Keywords Health sciences Oncology PCR chromosome 3 gene amplification lung cancer molecular copy number counting molecular markers oncogene oral cancer preinvasive lesions squamous cell carcinoma Programme(s) FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) PEOPLE-2007-2-1.IEF - Marie Curie Action: "Intra-European Fellowships for Career Development" Call for proposal FP7-PEOPLE-2007-2-1-IEF See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MC-IEF - Intra-European Fellowships (IEF) Coordinator UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS EU contribution € 178 874,06 Address WOODHOUSE LANE LS2 9JT Leeds United Kingdom See on map Region Yorkshire and the Humber West Yorkshire Leeds Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Kathy Brownridge (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data