Salivary microRNAs identified by small RNA sequencing as potential predictors of response to intensity-modulated radiotherapy in head and neck cancer patients.

Purpose: Progress in radiation therapy of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) is logically linked to the development of molecular predictors that would help to enhance individually tailored treatment. MicroRNA (miRNA) expression profiles in tumors have repeatedly been tested to optimize the molecular diagnostics of HNSCC. In addition to tumor tissues, miRNAs are stably present in body fluids, including saliva, and can thus be collected non-invasively.

Immunostimulatory and anticancer effect of Reishi and Coriol extracts at the level of clinical studies and their implementation in practice.

Background: Mushrooms Reishi and Coriolus have been used for centuries in Asian countries to treat various diseases, mainly respiratory tract infections or pulmonary diseases, and more recently also cancers. Polysaccharides and triterpenes, which are found in these mushrooms, are their main bio-active components. Preclinical and clinical studies in humans presented their beneficial effects as immunomodulators; besides this, they possess a direct anticancer effect.

Prognostic Significance of Serum Free Amino Acids in Head and Neck Cancers.

Despite distinctive advances in the field of head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) biomarker discovery, the spectrum of clinically useful prognostic serum biomarkers is limited. As metabolic activities in highly proliferative transformed cells are fundamentally different from those in non-transformed cells, specific shifts in concentration of different metabolites may serve as diagnostic or prognostic markers. Blood amino acids have been identified as promising biomarkers in different cancers before, but little is known about this field in HNSCC.

Expression of CD44, EGFR, p16, and their mutual combinations in patients with head and neck cancer: Impact on outcomes of intensity-modulated radiation therapy.

Background: Progress in radiation treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) deserves the studies focused on molecular predictors that would help to enhance individually tailored treatment.

Methods: p16/epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/cluster of differentiation-44 (CD44) was immunohistochemically analyzed in 165 HNSCC patients.

Results: In the entire group and the p16 negative cohort, better 3-year overall survival and locoregional control correlated with p16 positivity, CD44, and EGFR negativity were observed.

Primary Branchiogenic Carcinoma.

Background: Primary branchiogenic carcinoma (BC) is an exceptional diagnostic entity. In most cases, suspicion of BC is confirmed to be a cystic lymph node metastasis of an occult primary tumor. Martin and Khafif therefore established diagnostic criteria, emphasizing above all the importance of a histologically assessed transformation of cystic lining epithelium into an invasive squamous cell carcinoma in one pathological lesion after the exclusion of a primary tumor.

Metastases of a Breast Cancer to Skull Base.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is a frequent malignant disease which tends to develop distant metastases, but only very rarely in the head and neck region.

Case Report: We present two case reports of patients with metastases of invasive BC in this area. They are of different clinical manifestation with different time relation to the primary tumor and different symptomatology.

Potential of the Flavonoid Quercetin to Prevent and Treat Cancer - Current Status of Research.

Naturally occurring bioactive compounds are promising candidates to prevent and treat cancer. Quercetin is a well-known plant flavonoid that is reported to have anticancer actions in vitro and in vivo. This review focuses on the molecular mechanisms underlying the chemopreventive effect of quercetin and its therapeutic potential in oncology.

Prognostic impact of combined immunoprofiles in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients with respect to AJCC 8th edition.

Objectives: To examine combined immunoprofiles of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), CD44, and p16 in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) and to correlate them with radiotherapy treatment outcomes and clinicopathological parameters. Prognostic impact of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 8th edition staging system in comparison with 7th edition was analyzed.

Methods: The study included 77 OPSCC patients treated by definitive intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).

[Sore throat treatment].

The article deals with sore throat, gives definition of acute and chronic pain and describes their causes. Further describes possibilities of diagnosis with regard to differential diagnosis. Special attention is focused on differentiation between viral and streptococcal infection.

MicroRNAs Involvement in Radioresistance of Head and Neck Cancer.

Resistance to the ionizing radiation is a current problem in the treatment and clinical management of various cancers including head and neck cancer. There are several biological and molecular mechanisms described to be responsible for resistance of the tumors to radiotherapy. Among them, the main mechanisms include alterations in intracellular pathways involved in DNA damage and repair, apoptosis, proliferation, and angiogenesis.

[Can fish oil improve wound healing in surgery?].

Unlabelled: A surgical insult induces both local and systemic inflammatory responses which, if inappropriate, could impair wound healing. According to many studies ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from fish oil improve the process of wound healing by their immunomodulatory effect. In contrast to current anti-inflammatory drugs, which could alter immune defence and impair the resolution of inflammation, ω-3 fatty acids have a simultaneous anti-inflammatory pro-resolution effect which is not immunosuppressive.

[Importance of taste in maintaining homeostasis and pathological impact of orosensory reflexes distraction in relation to sweet taste after non-caloric sweeteners consumption].

Taste signals and their reflexes have important signalling function in nature. They protect organism against toxic substances in food with help of taste aversion, they help to cope nutrition deficiencies through taste preferences, on the other hand, they act in many postprandial reflexes to maintain energy homeostasis. It is well-known that sweet taste is important oro-sensory stimulus for mammals.