Combinational chromosomal aneuploidies and HPV status for prediction of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma prognosis in biopsies and cytological preparations.

Purpose: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most common human cancer types with a very poor prognosis despite improvements in therapeutic modalities. The major known risk factors are tobacco use and alcohol consumption or infection with high-risk human papilloma viruses (HPV), especially in oropharyngeal tumors. The current management based on the assessment of a variety of clinical and pathological parameters does not sufficiently predict outcome.

Effect of 3q oncogenes SEC62 and SOX2 on lymphatic metastasis and clinical outcome of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

Chromosome 3q26 amplification represents a frequent alteration in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs). Overexpression of 3q26 encoded genes SEC62 and SOX2 was detected in various cancers, including HNSCCs, indicating their potential function as oncogenes. In our study, we elucidated the function of SEC62 and SOX2 in HNSCC patients, with a main focus on their effect on lymphatic metastasis and patient survival.

Characterization of miR-146a and miR-155 in blood, tissue and cell lines of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients and their impact on cell proliferation and migration.

Purpose: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide with an unchanged 5-year survival rate during the last decade. To detect reliable prognostic markers and improve patients' outcome in future, the aim of our study was to detect differences in microRNA (miRNA; miR) expression profile and further on to analyze the functional role of selected miRNAs.

Methods: Blood samples from HNSCC patients and sex- and age-matched healthy volunteers were analyzed by microarrays and validated by quantitative real-time PCR.

Identification of CTNNB1 mutations, CTNNB1 amplifications, and an Axin2 splice variant in juvenile angiofibromas.

Juvenile angiofibromas (JAs) are benign fibro-vascular tumors occurring nearly exclusively in adolescent males. Even less is known about this rare tumor entity, alterations affecting the Wnt-pathway seem to play a pivotal role in tumor biology as activating CTNNB1 mutations have been detected. However, the knowledge of Wnt-pathway changes is still limited.

Combination of p16(INK4a) /Ki67 immunocytology and HPV polymerase chain reaction for the noninvasive analysis of HPV involvement in head and neck cancer.

Background: High-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has been identified as a relevant risk for the development of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs). As HPV status has also gained a role as a prognostic and predictive biomarker for this entity, there is a growing demand for valid HPV testing in HNSCC patients

Methods: Liquid-based cytological smears from 45 HNSCC and 20 control patients were collected and used for simultaneous immunocytochemical p16(INK4a) /Ki67 staining using a CINtec PLUS kit after the presence of tumor cells was verified in a Papanicolaou-stained slide. The same cytological suspension was used for the detection of HPV DNA by specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Preliminary analysis of different microRNA expression levels in juvenile angiofibromas.

Juvenile angiofibroma (JA) is a rare fibrovascular tumor affecting, almost exclusively, adolescent males. The finding of frequent β-catenin-mutations in JAs emphasized the significance of the Wnt-signaling pathway in tumor pathogenesis. In the last decade, microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) have been found to be involved in cancer pathogenesis by post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression and have not been analyzed in JAs thus far.

Establishment of a molecular cytogenetic analysis for native tumor tissue of meningiomas-suitable for clinical application.

Background: Meningiomas are mostly benign tumors which arise from the meninges. They are among the cytogenetically best-studied solid tumors, mostly displaying a normal karyotype or, as a typical primary aberration, monosomy of chromosome 22. Further secondary chromosomal aberrations, especially the deletion of chromosome 1p, are correlated with increasing biological aggressiveness up to malignancy.