Background Oral squamous cancers remain the most common cancers among males in India and the third most common cancer among men and women combined, with an age standardized ratio of 9.1 per 100,000 population. Surgery and chemoradiation have not improved survival rates significantly and hence, newer therapeutic targets are needed. Cyclin D1 (CCND1) is a proto-oncogene which is located on chromosome 11q13 and has been found to be amplified in many cancers including oral cancers. It is said to correlate with aggressive tumor growth and a poorer prognosis.

Aim This article correlates cyclin D1 (CCND1) gene copy number alteration with clinicopathologic prognostic factors in oral squamous cancers.

Materials and Methods Sixty-three patients who underwent surgery for oral cancer between January and June 2022 were included in the study after obtaining informed consent and ethics approval. Copy number alteration of CCND1 was assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Qf PCR) and correlated with clinical and histopathological prognostic factors, including short-term recurrence. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS software.

Results A statistically significant correlation was determined between the Qf PCR values of CCND1 gene and locoregional recurrence. Gene copy number alteration also correlated strongly with a higher grade of the primary tumor. There was also a significant correlation between the Qf PCR values and the immunohistochemistry for cyclin D1.

Conclusion Cyclin D1 offers a new therapeutic target in oral cancers and may improve survival without significant treatment-related morbidity.

Ethical approval was obtained from the Institute Ethics Committee.

R.R. was involved in conceptualizing the study, performing the surgeries, collating and interpreting the data, and writing the manuscript while S.J. was involved in performing the surgeries and in collection of data.

P.R. was involved in performing the genetic analysis, interpreting the results, and in reviewing the manuscript, M.S.U. was involved in performing the histopathological analysis of the specimens, performing and interpreting the IHC results, and in reviewing the manuscript and R.S. was involved in performing the surgeries and reviewing the manuscript before submission.

Received: 22 January 2024

Accepted: 26 June 2024

Article published online:
15 July 2024

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