The current and other studies therefore support the notion that 8q houses important oncogene(s) other than MYC. Although our data would suggest that 8q gain is important in the development of HPV-negative vulvar cancer, the number of cases in the present study are too small to clearly indicate whether 8q gain is redundant in the development of HPV-positive vulvar cancers, as is documented for mutations in the p53 gene (Flowers et al, 1999; Brooks et al, 2000). This evidence concerns the gene MYC and vulva cancer.