Secretome and immune cell attraction analysis of head and neck cancers.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors are approved for recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) but the response rate is only 13-18%. For an effective antitumor immune response, trafficking of immune cells to the tumor microenvironment (TME) is essential. We aimed to better understand immune cell migration as well as the involved chemokines in HNSCC.

Circulating T cell status and molecular imaging may predict clinical benefit of neoadjuvant PD-1 blockade in oral cancer.

Background: Addition of neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibition to standard-of-care interventions for locally advanced oral cancer could improve clinical outcome.

Methods: In this study, 16 evaluable patients with stage III/IV oral cancer were treated with one dose of 480 mg nivolumab 3 weeks prior to surgery. Primary objectives were safety, feasibility, and suitability of programmed death receptor ligand-1 positron emission tomography (PD-L1 PET) as a biomarker for response.

At the Crossroads of Molecular Biology and Immunology: Molecular Pathways for Immunological Targeting of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Recent advances in immunotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) have led to implementation of anti-programmed death receptor 1 (PD-1) immunotherapy to standard of care for recurrent/metastatic HNSCC. However, the majority of tumors do not respond to these therapies, indicating that these tumors are not immunogenic or other immunosuppressive mechanisms might be at play. Given their role in carcinogenesis as well as in immune modulation, we discuss the relation between the STAT3, PI3K/AKT/mTOR and Wnt signaling pathways to identify potential targets to empower the immune response against HNSCC.

The Immune Microenvironment in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: on Subsets and Subsites.

Purpose: To understand why some patients respond to immunotherapy but many do not, a clear picture of the tumor microenvironment (TME) of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is key. Here we review the current understanding on the immune composition per HNSCC subsite, the importance of the tumor's etiology and the prognostic power of specific immune cells.

Recent Findings: Large cohort data are mostly based on deconvolution of transcriptional databases.

[Diagnostic image. A woman with a calcified structure in the bladder].

A 79-year-old woman suffered from microscopic haematuria following a symptomatic cystitis. Abdominal ultrasound investigation suggested a bladder stone. Cystoscopy revealed a calcified bladder tumour.

Optimizing prostate cancer detection: 8 versus 12-core biopsy protocol.

Purpose: We compared prostate cancer detection rates achieved using an 8 and 12-core biopsy protocol in a clinical population to determine the significance of additional transition zone sampling on repeat biopsy.

Materials And Methods: Between September 2004 and September 2007, 269 eligible patients with a clinical suspicion of prostate cancer referred to our department were randomized to an 8-core lateral (group 1) or a 12-core lateral and parasagittal (group 2) transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy protocol. Study inclusion criteria were age dependent increased serum prostate specific antigen (1.