The copy number variation of GSTM1 as a promising prognostic factor of oral squamous cell carcinoma
The aim of this study was to investigate whether the copy number variation (CNV) of GSTM1 and GSTT1 is related to the occurrence of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) relapses, along the overall and progression-free survival of patients.A total of 234 OSCC patients were recruited from the Heliópolis hospital and they were distributed among 4 groups according to the occurrence of OSCC relapses. Fisher exact test, odds ratio (OR), and 95% CI were determined to investigate the chances of OSCC progression. The overall and progression-free survival were analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression methods.The CNV of GSTM1 analysis showed that one copy of the gene was associated with reduced chances of OSCC recurrences (OR 0.45; 95% CI 0.25-0.81) and decreased the risk of tumor progression (HR 0.50; 95% CI 0.33-0.75). Furthermore, one copy of GSTM1 was related to a better overall survival rate (HR 0.63; 95% CI 0.0.44-0.91). Regarding the CNV of GSTT1, no copies were associated with the chances of OSCC relapses, the overall survival, or the progression-free survival.The CNV of GSTM1 may be applied to predict OSCC relapses and aid the treatment management, which might improve the survival rates of patients.