The Role of Oncogenic Viruses in Head and Neck Cancers: Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, and Advancements in Detection Methods.

Head and neck cancers (HNCs) constitute a wide range of malignancies originating from the epithelial lining of the upper aerodigestive tract, including the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, and salivary glands. Although lymphomas affecting this region are not conventionally classified as HNCs, they may occur in lymph nodes or mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues within the head and neck. Oncogenic viruses play a crucial role in HNC onset.

Survival Analysis of Elderly Patients With Laryngeal Cancer After Total Laryngectomy: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective This study investigates the overall survival (OS) of elderly patients who underwent total laryngectomy for laryngeal cancer (LC) and examines the impact of tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging on survival rates. Methods A retrospective cohort study utilized data from the Otorhinolaryngology Clinic at the University Hospital of Patras, including 75 elderly patients (>65 years) who underwent total laryngectomy for LC between 2000 and 2015. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier estimator, with comparisons made using the Log-rank test.

Insights into metastatic roadmap of head and neck cancer squamous cell carcinoma based on clinical, histopathological and molecular profiles.

The incidence of head and neck cancer (HNC), constituting approximately one in ten cancer cases worldwide, affects approximately 644,000 individuals annually. Managing this complex disease involves various treatment modalities such as systemic therapy, radiation, and surgery, particularly for patients with locally advanced disease. HNC treatment necessitates a multidisciplinary approach due to alterations in patients' genomes affecting their functionality.

Matrix-based molecular mechanisms, targeting and diagnostics in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a head and neck cancer (HNC) with a high mortality rate. OSCC is developed in the oral cavity and it is triggered by many etiologic factors and can metastasize both regionally and distantly. Recent research advances in OSCC improved our understanding on the molecular mechanisms involved in and the initiation of OSCC metastasis.

Deep Learning Techniques and Imaging in Otorhinolaryngology-A State-of-the-Art Review.

Over the last decades, the field of medicine has witnessed significant progress in artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), and deep learning (DL) systems. Otorhinolaryngology, and imaging in its various subspecialties, has not remained untouched by this transformative trend. As the medical landscape evolves, the integration of these technologies becomes imperative in augmenting patient care, fostering innovation, and actively participating in the ever-evolving synergy between computer vision techniques in otorhinolaryngology and AI.

The interplay between tumor and nodal microenvironments for the formation of nodal premetastatic niche in head and neck cancer.

Head and neck cancer (HNC) encompasses a number of malignancies originating in the head and neck area. In patients with HNC, cervical lymph nodes constitute metastatic sites for cancer cells that escape primary tumors. The premetastatic niche (PMN) is a crucial concept in understanding metastatic disease.

Extracellular matrix biomechanical roles and adaptation in health and disease.

Extracellular matrices (ECMs) are dynamic 3D macromolecular networks that exhibit structural characteristics and composition specific to different tissues, serving various biomechanical and regulatory functions. The interactions between ECM macromolecules such as collagen, elastin, glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), proteoglycans (PGs), fibronectin, and laminin, along with matrix effectors and water, contribute to the unique cellular and tissue functional properties during organ development, tissue homoeostasis, remodeling, disease development, and progression. Cells adapt to environmental changes by adjusting the composition and array of ECM components.

The Role of Exosomes in Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition and Cell Functional Properties in Head and Neck Cancer.

Exosomes are nanosized vesicles that are produced in normal and cancer cells, promoting intracellular communication. In head and neck cancer (HNC), exosomes are involved in many undesirable events of cancer development and progression, including angiogenesis, tumor microenvironment (TME) remodeling, invasion, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), metastasis, extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation, and drug resistance. Exosomes are involved in altering the signaling pathways in recipient cells by the cargoes they carry.

Ruptured infectious ICA pseudoaneurysm into the sphenoid sinus after maxillofacial infection, successfully treated by selective embolization.

Background: Intracranial infectious aneurysms are cerebral aneurysms caused by pathogen-induced inflammation undermining the arterial wall. We present a rare case of inflammatory pseudoaneurysm of cavernous internal carotid artery (ICA).

Case Description: A 51-year-old female with a recent diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia developed maxillofacial infection with and after chemotherapy onset.

Combined EGFR/ALK Expression Analysis in Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Background/aim: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) acts as an oncogene in malignancies. Our aim was to examine the role of combined EGFR/ anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) expression as molecular markers in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) patients.

Materials And Methods: Fifty (n=50) tissue sections derived from twenty-five (n=25) primary LSCCs were analyzed by immunohistochemistry (IHC).

p53 mutations in oral cavity carcinoma.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) includes a variety of SCCs derived from the anatomic regions of the oral and nasal cavity and also of the pharynx and larynx. Oral cavity SCC (OCSCC) demonstrates an increasing rate due to viral -related (High Risk Human Papilloma Virus-HR HPV) persistent infection, cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption. Gross chromosomal alterations (polysomy, aneuploidy) and specific gene aberrations such as amplifications, deletions, point mutations combined or not with epigenetic ones (promoter methylations and miRNA deregulations) are responsible for the progressive transformation of normal squamous epithelia to the corresponding malignant.

Comparative p16 Expression in Laryngeal Carcinoma and Cervical Cancer Precursors: A Real-time Grid-based Immunocytochemistry Analysis.

Background/aim: p16 (gene locus: 9p21) tumor suppressor gene is considered an important biomarker for the progression and prognosis in a variety of malignancies and pre-cancerous lesions, including high-risk (HR-) human papilloma virus (HPV)-mediated squamous intraepithelial lesions (SILs), based on cytological and the corresponding cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) histopathological categorization. p16 acts as a cyclin-dependent kinase-4 inhibitor negatively regulating the cell cycle. In persistent HPV infection, E7 oncogenic protein binds retinoblastoma protein leading to its proteolytic transformation, also triggering E2F dissociation, which increases DNA transcription and progression to S phase.

Numerical Imbalances of Chromosome 7 in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is an aggressive neoplasm. Many chromosomal and gene alterations have been identified in OSCC, including structural and numerical changes. In this study, we implemented a molecular assay of chromosome 7 (Chr7) in order to investigate the level of its numerical instability in OSCC.

Deregulation of PTEN Expression in Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Based on Tissue Microarray Digital Analysis.

Background/aim: Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) (gene locus: 10q23.3) -a tumor suppressor gene- is deleted, mutated or epigenetically hyper-methylated in a variety of malignancies. PTEN acts as a negative regulator in PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling transduction pathway.

Topoisomerase I deregulation in laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas based on tissue microarray analysis.

Purpose: Topoisomerases (types: I/IIa-b/IIIa-b) represent a super-family of nucleic enzymes involved in the DNA replication, transcription, recombination, and also chromosome topological formation. Topoisomerase's I (Topo I- gene location: 20q12) aberrant expression is a frequent genetic event in a variety of solid malignancies. Topo I inhibition promotes cell death due to DNA damage and for this reason it is a target for specific targeted chemotherapy (camptothecin, topotecan, irinotecan).

mTOR deregulation in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma.

Signal transduction pathways consist of a variety of inter- and intra-cellular molecules. They act as supporting mechanisms for cell survival and homeostasis. Among them, the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/tumor suppressor phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway plays a crucial role in regulating normal cell growth based on growth factor receptors (GFRs) interaction, including epidermal GFR (type II-HER2) and insulin GFR (IGF).