An overview of the role and inter-relationship of epidermal growth factor receptor, cyclin D and retinoblastoma protein on the carcinogenesis of squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx.

Recent developments in both molecular and cellular biology have improved the understanding of the tumorigenesis of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Loco-regional recurrence of this condition still poses a significant oncological management dilemma for a subset of these tumours. Therefore, the possibility that specific tumour characteristics (demonstrable by immunohistochemical and molecular biological study) may aid the clinician in choosing the optimal treatment for a specific tumour holds great promise. This article concentrates on the role and inter-relationship of epidermal growth factor receptor status on the function of cyclin D, and how this is related to the presence of retinoblastoma protein. A review of recent studies evaluating these markers, the potential clinical utility of these findings and the possible directions for further study are discussed.