Search

Abstract Background Despite advances in diagnostic and treatment strategies, head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) constitutes one of the worst cancer types in terms of prognosis. PTEN is one of the tumour suppressors whose expression and/or activity have been found to be reduced in HNSCC, with rather low rates of mutations within the PTEN gene (6-8%). We reasoned that low expression levels of PTEN might be due to a transcriptional repression governed by an oncogene. Tbx2 and Tbx3, both of which are transcriptional repressors, have been found to be amplified or over-expressed in various cancer types. Thus, we hypothesize that Tbx3 may be over expressed in HNSCC and may repress PTEN, thus leading to cancer formation and/or progression. Methods Using immunohistochemistry and quantitative PCR (qPCR), protein and mRNA levels of PTEN and Tbx3 were identified in samples excised from cancerous and adjacent normal tissues from 33 patients who were diagnosed with HNSCC. In addition, HeLa and HEK cell lines were transfected with a Tbx3 expressing plasmid and endogenous PTEN mRNA and protein levels were determined via qPCR and flow cytometry. Transcription assays were performed to demonstrate effects of Tbx3 on PTEN promoter activity. Mann–Whitney, Spearman’s Correlation and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to analyze the data. Results We demonstrate that in HNSCC samples, Tbx3 mRNA levels are increased with respect to their normal tissue counterparts (p Conclusions We show that Tbx3 is up-regulated in tissue samples of HNSCC patients and that Tbx3 represses PTEN transcription. Thus, our data not only reveals a new mechanism that may be important in cancer formation, but also suggests that Tbx3 can be used as a potential biomarker in cancer.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence and severity of Frey's syndrome (FS) among parotidectomy patients and to assess the impact of parotidectomy sequelae on quality of life (QoL). Methods: In total, 43 patients (21 males, 22 females) who underwent parotidectomy were included in this study. Iodine-starch test was applied to identify the presence and the severity of FS. The results were evaluated using a previously described grading system. Patients' perceptions of parotidectomy sequelae were graded to identify their impact on QoL and also if there is an association between the extent of parotidectomy, the time elapsed after surgery and the severity of symptoms. Results: FS was diagnosed in 18 (41.8%) patients, 10 of which (23.3%) reported having FS symptoms. Of all patients who were diagnosed with FS, 11 (61.2%) patients' symptoms were classified as mild, whereas 7 (38.8%) were classified as severe. There was no significant correlation between the incidence of FS and the time between surgery and diagnosis, or the extent of parotidectomy. Among all symptoms reported by patients, FS was the sequelae that caused the most discomfort after parotidectomy. Conclusion: The negative impact of FS on QoL is restricted to cases with severe symptoms, the incidence of which is rare and independent of the extent of surgery. To avoid overtreatment, true incidence of FS remains to be identified in study samples from different centers. By this means, clinicians can make more accurate definitions for indications of preventive procedures as well as treatment approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This experimental study was performed to investigate the effect of oral erdosteine, a mucolytic agent with reported antioxidant activity, on amikacin-induced ototoxicity. Materials and Methods: Fifty male Wistar rats, were randomized into five experimental groups as follows; control (C), amikacin treated (A), erdosteine treated (E), amikacin + erdosteine treated (A+E); erdosteine administration following amikacin treatment (A(E). Amikacin (600mg/kg/day) was given as a single dose of intramuscular (im) injection for 14 days. Erdosteine was administered via gastric gavage for 14 days at a single dose of 10 mg/kg/day. In order to evaluate whether amikacin ototoxicity was reversible, group (A(E) received erdosteine (10 mg/kg/day) via gastric gavage for two weeks following 14 days of amikacin administration (single dose of 600 mg/kg/day). The distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) and auditory brainstem response (ABR) were elicited to determine ototoxicity. Results: The obtained DPOAE data revealed a significant hearing loss in the high frequencies in groups (A) and (A(E) when compared to groups (C), (E) and (A+E). Administration of erdosteine after the use of amikacin had no significant effect on the ABR hearing threshold compared to rats treated with amikacin alone. However, all other recorded ABR values were significantly decreased in rats that received erdosteine after the use of amikacin. Conclusions: This study showed that erdosteine protected hearing functions in amikacin induced-ototoxicity. The observed effect of erdosteine, both at the cochlear and retro cochlear level, is apparent only when administered together with amikacin. When administered after amikacin treatment, limited benefits can be observed against ototoxicity only at the retro cochlear level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the presence of micrometastatic tumor cells in the peripheral blood samples of the patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and to determine whether the presence of micrometastatic cells had any biological relevance in terms of local recurrences or metastasis during a follow-up period of 3 years., Methods: We included 21 consecutive patients with untreated primary HNSCC admitted to the Ear Nose and Throat Department of Akdeniz University Medical School, Antalya, Turkey between February and October 2002. Squamous carcinoma cells in peripheral blood samples of these patients prior to surgery were detected via a magnetic cell separation technique using anti-epithelial cell adhesion molecule antibody, and thereafter evaluated by light microscopy with hematoxylin and eosin staining., Results: Seven out of 21 patients showed squamous carcinoma cells in peripheral blood samples. Patients with stage III and IV tumors were nearly 5 times more likely to show micrometastatic cells compared with those with stage I and II tumors (6/12 versus 1/9). During the follow-up, 2 patients out of 7 with micrometastasis had recurrences. None in the micrometastasis negative group relapsed., Conclusion: We suggest that HNSCC patients with detectable tumor cells in peripheral blood represent a subset of patients who should be followed up more closely for possible recurrences.