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EphB4 is a receptor tyrosine kinase that is expressed on epithelial cells during fetal life. It is also expressed on some venous endothelial cells. We conducted a study of six men with primary squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC) that had metastasized to the cervical lymph nodes. Our goal was to determine if EphB4 is aberrantly expressed in cases of HNSCC and to determine if there is a qualitative difference between the expression of EphB4 on primary and metastatic tumors and its expression on normal mucosa adjacent to primary tumors. From each patient, we obtained specimens of the primary tumor, the nodal metastasis, and the adjacent normal mucosa, and we performed immunocytochemistry on each. We observed EphB4 expression in all primary and metastatic tumors and no expression in the normal tissue. In each of the six patients, expression was greater in the metastatic tumor than in the primary tumor. We conclude that EphB4 is a novel target in the treatment of HNSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue (TSCC) has one of the poorest prognoses of head and neck cancers. This study aims to improve early detection of the disease by identifying salivary biomarkers that can identify a spectrum of patients progressing from high-risk to TSCC. We also examine the mortality of exophytic and endophytic TSCC, expecting the elevated cytokine levels in endophytic patients to be associated with a shorter survival. Saliva was collected from patients with TSCC and controls and cytokine protein levels were measured. Specimens were collected from the Los Angeles County (LAC) + University of Southern California (USC) and USC University Hospital clinics. A convenience sample of patients with TSCC was divided into endophytic (n =10) and exophytic (n =8) cancer by physician diagnosis. Controls were divided into 4 groups of 14 based on their high-risk smoking and drinking behaviors. Main outcome measures: The levels of IL-1α, IL-6, IL-8, VEGF-a and TNF-α in saliva were measured using quantitative ELISA and compared using two-way ANOVA. All five cytokines were elevated in the endophytic TSCC group compared to other groups, which correlated with the decreased survival rate (10.4months) in this group compared to exophytic TSCC (24months). IL-1α, IL-6, TNF-α and VEGF were also elevated in the exophytic TSCC group compared to smoking–drinking controls. Salivary levels of IL-1α, IL-6, IL-8, VEGF-a and TNF-α can identify the progression of TSCC from high-risk to neoplasm, serving as potential biomarkers for cancer screening and early detection. The correlation with survival implies a prognostic benefit and could serve as a tool for management decisions and future treatment targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the characterization of oral tongue cancer as recommended by the College of American Pathologists (CAP). Patients who were diagnosed with oral tongue cancer and underwent tumor resection were included in the study. Assessment of the pathology report of the depth of invasion (DI), lymphovascular invasion (LVI), and perineural invasion (PNI) was also conducted. Results show the importance of tumor invasion characteristics reporting for oral tongue cancer diagnosis.