Quantification of p38αMAP kinase: A prognostic marker in HNSCC with respect to radiation therapy

Background: Translation of early findings from basic research is aimed to benefit cancer therapeutics. We report the p38 alpha level in serum of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients indicating it as a prognostic marker and established its correlation with radiation therapy (RT). Methods: The case-controlled study was performed on 120 HNSCC patients from whom 81 patients and 45 controls were statistically analyzed. The p38 alpha estimation was done at pre-RT, during-RT and post-RT using a real time Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) technology, ELEA and western blot. Results: HNSCC patients showed threefold increase in p38 alpha level when compared to control (p value <0.0001). The estimated concentration of p38 alpha in a temporal manner, before-RT, during-RT and post-RT was 0.61 ng/mu l (95%CI: 0.53-0.69), 035 ng/mu l (95%CI: 0.31-038) and 0.30 ng/mu l (95%CI: 0.26-033), respectively. Among the 81 cases, 70 patients (86.42%) showed a declined p38 alpha in response to RT as evaluated by SPR and were responding clinically (clinical tumor regression). Conclusions: This study showed elevated p38 alpha level at cancer diagnosis and a statistically significant decline during-RT and post-RT periods. Hence, it can emerge as a prognostic marker supporting the candidature of p38 alpha as a suitable serum marker in HNSCC. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.