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Background: Survival of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients depends on the risk and environmental factors, tumor biology, achievements in diagnostics and treatment approaches., Aim: To perform a survival analysis of the patients with OSCC treated over a 10-year period in a single hospital in Latvia linking these data to histopathological findings, risk factors and received therapy., Materials and Methods: The main outcome measures were overall and disease-specific survival (OS and DS) along with histopathology analysis., Results: Kaplan - Meier survival analysis showed better survival for females, younger patients lacking bad habits, operated and received radiotherapy, with lower T grade and disease stage. Cox regression showed diminished early death risk in patients with lower T grade, no regional metastases (N0) and bad habits, operated and received radiotherapy. A vast majority of tumors were localized in palatine tonsils and the base of the tongue. The localization did not correlate with mean survival time/survival. Lower OS (p = 0.03) and DS (p = 0.026) were estimated for patients with pharyngeal wall and tonsillar involvement compared to tumors localized in the soft palate. A histological variant of tumor seemed irrelevant estimating OS and DS, whereas therapeutic modalities significantly affected survival., Conclusions: OSCC patients with lower T grade, N0 status, lacking bad habits, and surgically treated had better survival.

Background: Up to now, the immune status of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients in association with the expression of zeta-chain-associated protein kinase 70 (ZAP-70) in leukemic cells has not been evaluated., Aim: The aim of this work was the study of the peripheral blood (PB) T-lymphocyte phenotypes in ZAP-70-positive (ZAP-70(+)) and ZAP-70-negative (ZAP-70(-)) untreated patients with CLL., Materials and Methods: ZAP-70-, CD25-, CD3-, CD4-, and CD8-positive lymphocytes were enumerated by flow cytometry in PB of 120 untreated CLL patients. CD8+, CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD25+ cells were counted for the non-leukemic lymphocytes., Results: The patients were distributed into two groups: the ZAP-70(+) group of high CLL progression (n = 61), and the ZAP-70(-) group of low CLL progression (n = 59). In the ZAP-70(+) group, the ratio CD4/CD8 (0.33 ± 0.62; p = 0.001) and the numbers of the CD3+ (34.8 ± 8.1%; p = 0.01), CD3+CD4+ (24.4% ± 4.8; p = 0.001), and CD3+CD25+ (6.2 ± 0.91%; p = 0.001) lymphocytes were reduced and the percentage of the CD8+ cells (73.1 ± 4.6%; p = 0.0001) was above the norm. In the ZAP-70(-) group, the number of the CD3+CD4+ cells (36.9 ± 6.1%; p = 0.001) was within the norm, but the numbers of the CD8+ (11.3 ± 1.1%; p = 0.0001) and CD3+ (41.2 ± 5.3%; p = 0.05) lymphocytes were reduced; the ratio CD4/CD8 (3.26 ± 0.88; p = 0.001) and the percentage of the CD3+CD25+ cells (27.1 ± 3.4%; p = 0.0001) were above the norm., Conclusions: Our data show that the increased CD4/CD8 ratio, caused by the reduced number of the CD8+ lymphocytes, and the increased number of CD3+CD25+ cells are characteristic for the ZAP-70(-) group (slow progressing) of untreated CLL patients. In ZAP-70(+) patients, the CD4/CD8 ratio was significantly below the norm indicating an active disease process. Results of our study contribute to identification of CLL patients with different prognosis in routine diagnostic/prognostic procedures.

Aim: The high incidence of gastrointestinal cancer combined with high mortality from the disease if diagnosed at a late stage, signifies the need for better diagnostic, prognostic and predictive tools. Human beta-herpesviruses have been suggested as possible cofactors in the development of gastrointestinal cancer., Methods: Sixty five patients with gastrointestinal cancer before surgery and without any treatment were enrolled in this study and divided into two groups depending on lymphocytes' count: I group (n = 35) -- lymphocytes > 1400x10(6)/L and II group (n = 30) -- lymphocytes < 1400x10(6)/L. Nested polymerase chain reaction was used to detect latent and active stage of persistent human herpesvirus-6 and -7 infection, laser flow cytometry with monoclonal antibodies -- to determine immunological parameters., Results: Activation of herpesvirus-6 and -7 was more frequently observed in the patients' group with lymphopenia (HHV-6 1/1 (100%), HHV-7 4/8 (50%) and HHV-6 + HHV-7 6/9 (66%); p < 0.05). Cellular immune parameters were analysed in immunocompromised II group's patients dependently on beta-herpevirus infection. Although number of leukocytes was higher in patients with active HHV-6/-7 infection (p = 0.01), number of lymphocytes CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(+) and CD38(+) in patients with active HHV-6/-7 infection tended to decrease (p < 0.0001, P = 0.0002, p = 0.0001 and p < 0.0001, respectively). However, number of CD19(+) had tendency to increase (p = 0.03)., Conclusion: Activation of herpesvirus-6 and -7 may lead to decrease of lymphocytes total count and develop immunosuppression in patients with gastrointestinal cancer.

Unlabelled: Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a neurological disease caused by infection of the central nervous system (CNS) with the JC polyomavirus (JCV). JCV is endemic and infects a large proportion (70-90%) of healthy individuals worldwide, but infection is latent. JCV reactivation may occur, if the immune function is compromised., Aim: To present a PML case in a CLL patient after a long course of disease and treatment with fludarabine. JCV virus infection in this patient was proven both in brain biopsy material and blood., Methods: Patient with a nine-year history of CLL was hospitalized with the weakness in the right leg and left hand, tremors, speech difficulties. An MRI diagnosed infiltrative glial tumor of the left hemisphere, proliferating predominantly in the frontal lobe, more in the gyrus frontalis superior region. CNS tumor biopsy performed., Results: Morphology and immunoprofile of the lesion consistent with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. The material from biopsy was diagnosed as positive for JCV DNA. JCV and HHV-7 genomic sequences were found in patient's PBL DNA sample. In a plasma DNA sample, only genomic sequences were detected., Conclusion: The present case draws attention to the fact that the use of fludarabine and its combinations in CLL therapy increases the risk of JCV infection reactivation and development of serious complications like PML.

Unlabelled: Serum thymidine kinase (TK), zeta-associated protein of 70 kDa (ZAP-70) and CD38 levels have been shown to be correlated with survival in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL)., Aim: To investigate the possible correlations between TK, ZAP-70 and CD38 levels as prognostic markers in new diagnosed Rai stages of CLL patients., Methods: 120 CLL patients were enrolled. ELISA was used to measure serum TK level, flow cytomerty - to determine ZAP-70 and CD38 expression applying ZAP-70 Kit and monoclonal antibody to CD38, respectively., Results: Significantly higher levels of TK were found in the high progression group of CLL patients that corresponded to stage II (Rai classification). An elevated level of TK, CD38 and ZAP-70 together was also found in the II stage. The coefficient of correlation between CD38 and ZAP-70 is reliable (p < 0.001). There is also a correlation between the level of TK and the disease stage (p < 0.05). Other parameters do not show this correlation., Conclusion: The determination of TK, ZAP-70 and CD38 together allows patients susceptible to a possible stage of the disease, to be identified. Estimation of the factors at an early stage of the disease may allow an earlier commencement of treatment.