“…Tumor suppressor genes-including FHIT, RB1, TP53, and CDKN2A (p16 INK4A )-have been shown to play key roles in HNSCC tumorigenesis (Virgilio et al, 1996;Koontongkaew et al, 2000;Nakahara et al, 2000). Specifically, loss of TP53 function has been shown to correlate with poor response to chemotherapeutic agents such as platinum drugs and fluorouracil, as well as with resistance to radiotherapy (O'Connor et al, 1993;Hamakawa et al, 1998;Temam et al, 2000). In addition, loss of 3p14 and/or 9p21 is considered to be an early event in HNSCC, and, along with TP53 alterations, has been a useful marker for monitoring increased recurrence risk (Brennan et al, 1995;Califano et al, 1996;Gollin, 2001;Rosin et al, 2002).…”