Mechanisms of C-myc oncogenic activity in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) demonstrates increased rates due to pathogenetic factors including tobacco, chronic alcohol consumption and also viral-mediated deregulation. During carcinogenetic process, laryngeal epithelia accumulate gross chromosome and specific gene aberrations. Oncogenes’ overactivation is a crucial genetic event in malignant and pre-malignant neoplastic epithelia. Among oncogenes, C-myc (gene locus: 8q24.12-q24.13) acts as a strong transcription factor, implicated in the control of cell differentiation and apoptosis. Upregulation of the gene - due to increased copy numbers (amplification) - seems to be correlated with aggressive biological behaviour in LSCCs. In the current special molecular article we explored the role of C-myc deregulation in LSCC.