Estrogen metabolism as a risk factor for head and neck cancer.

Objective: Estrogen metabolites have been associated in the pathogenesis of breast and cervical cancer; 16alpha-hydroxyestrone(16alpha-OHE1) demonstrated proliferative effects whereas 2-hydroxyestrone(2-OHE1) had antiproliferative effects. Our study's objective is to demonstrate that head and neck (H&N) cancer patients metabolize estrogen differently than healthy controls, which may constitute a risk factor for H&N cancer development.

Study Design: Urinary metabolite levels of 2-OHE1 and 16alpha-OHE1 from 50 H&N cancer patients and 50 age- and sex-matched controls were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Gestational and lactational exposure to TCDD or coplanar PCBs alters adult expression of saccharin preference behavior in female rats.

Previous studies have shown that maternal doses of 1 microg/kg or less of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in late gestation can demasculinize and feminize reproductive behavior in male rats. However, it was not known whether coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) had similar effects, or whether non-reproductive sexually dimorphic behaviors such as saccharin preference behavior were also altered. We determined the effects of TCDD or coplanar PCBs on saccharin consumption and saccharin preference in male and female rats.

A survey of smoking status and cancer risk perceptions among participants attending a hospital-based head and neck screening program.

Abstract Screening for head and neck cancer is underutilized. Given that lack of knowledge of the risk factors may partially account for screening underutilization. we surveyed subjective risk and knowledge of risk factors for head and neck cancer among 124 individuals who attended a free.

Environmental tobacco smoking, mutagen sensitivity, and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Although active tobacco smoking has been considered a major risk factor for head and neck cancer, few studies have evaluated environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and its interaction with mutagen sensitivity on the risk of head and neck cancer. We investigated the relationship between ETS and head and neck cancer in a case-control study of 173 previously untreated cases with pathologically confirmed diagnoses of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck and 176 cancer-free controls at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center between 1992 and 1994. A structured questionnaire was used to collect ETS exposure and other covariates including a history of active tobacco smoking and alcohol use.

Radial arm maze performance in rats following gestational and lactational exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD).

Recently, we reported that in utero and lactational exposure to 2,3, 7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) resulted in a task-specific reduction of errors on the radial arm maze (RAM), without similar improvements on other spatial learning tasks including the Morris water maze. The effect was more pronounced in males than in females. This study further investigated the effects of in utero and lactational exposure to TCDD on RAM performance by testing male and female TCDD-exposed rats on either an eight-arm RAM with all arms baited or a 12-arm RAM with 8 of the 12 arms baited.

Gestational-lactational exposure to Aroclor 1254 impairs radial-arm maze performance in male rats.

Developmental exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) has been associated with cognitive deficits in children. The current study assessed effects of gestational and lactational exposure to a commercial PCB mixture, Aroclor 1254 (A1254), on spatial learning and memory in rats, using the radial-arm maze (RAM). Pregnant Long-Evans females (10/dose group) were exposed to 0 or 6-mg/kg/day A1254 (po in corn oil) from gestation day (GD) 6 to weaning at postnatal day (PND) 21.

Improving degenerate oligonucleotide primed PCR-comparative genomic hybridization for analysis of DNA copy number changes in tumors.

Combining degenerate oligonucleotide-primed PCR (DOP-PCR) with comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) has made it possible to analyze genomic changes in single cells. Although DOP-PCR-CGH methodology has been reported, the reproducibility of the method has been uncertain. We have developed a reproducible DOP-PCR-CGH protocol by systematically evaluating different labeling methods (including nick translation, PCR incorporation, and random-primed labeling) and different hybridization mixtures (including amplified test DNA vs.

Mutagen sensitivity and environmental exposures as contributing causes of chromosome 3p losses in head and neck cancers.

The interaction between environmental exposures and host susceptibility may lead to specific mutational events within head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Furthermore, this interplay may determine not only the probability of cancer development but also the biologic characteristics of the tumor once it occurs. To better understand the relationship of mutagen sensitivity and tobacco and/or alcohol consumption on HNSCC carcinogenesis, we examined loss of heterozygosity on chromosome 3p in 58 HNSCCs using 10 microsatellite markers.

Association between glutathione S-transferase pi genetic polymorphisms and oral cancer risk.

Polymorphisms in the gene encoding the glutathione S-transferase (GST) pi metabolizing enzyme have previously been associated with susceptibility to various cancers. In this study, the importance of GSTP1 genotypes as determinants of risk for oral cancer was assessed by examining the prevalence of GSTP1 alleles in 157 incident oral cancer cases and 260 non-cancer control individuals frequency-matched by race, sex, and age at diagnosis (+/- 5 years). The GSTP1*A, GSTP1*B, GSTP1*C, and GSTP1*D alleles were elucidated by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of polymorphisms present in codons 105 (isoleucine:valine) and 114 (alanine:valine) of the GSTP1 gene.

Comparison of GSTM polymorphisms and risk for oral cancer between African-Americans and Caucasians.

Two members of the mu class of glutathione S-transferase (GST) genes, GSTM1 and GSTM3, have polymorphic alleles which have been associated with altered levels of GST mu protein expression and may be linked to increased risk for several tobacco-related cancers. Oral cancer is a tobacco-related disease that affects African-American men at a significantly higher incidence than Caucasian men. To examine the potential role of GSTM polymorphisms in risk for oral cancer in African-Americans and Caucasians, the prevalences of the GSTM1 null and GSTM3 intron 6 polymorphisms were examined in 63 African-American and 101 Caucasian patients with histologically confirmed primary oral cancer, as well as in 133 African-American and 213 Caucasian matched control subjects.

PCB congener profile in the serum of humans consuming Great Lakes fish.

The State of Michigan has a long history of research into human exposure to environmental contaminants through consumption of recreationally caught fish. A large cohort of Lake Michigan residents who eat fish (fish-eaters) and those who do not eat fish (nonfish-eaters) established in 1980 served as the basis for the congener-specific polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) exposure evaluation reported here. In this paper we present the serum PCB congener profile for a subset of this cohort who were over 50 years of age.

Family history of cancer, mutagen sensitivity, and increased risk of head and neck cancer.

To evaluate individual cancer susceptibility, 170 previously untreated patients with pathologically-confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx, and 175 age- and sex-matched health controls were investigated for the occurrence of cancer in first-degree relatives along with other established risk factors for head and neck cancer. More than 54% of these subjects were assayed for mutagen sensitivity by quantifying in-vitro bleomycin-induced chromosomal breaks within peripheral blood lymphocytes. After adjusting for age, gender, education, family income, tobacco and alcohol consumption, the odds ratio associated with three or more first-degree relatives with cancer at any site was 3.

Marijuana use and increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in the United States. In some subcultures, it is widely perceived to be harmless. Although the carcinogenic properties of marijuana smoke are similar to those of tobacco, no epidemiological studies of the relationship between marijuana use and head and neck cancer have been published.

Subsurface tumor progression investigated by noninvasive optical second harmonic tomography.

Nonlinear optical imaging with femtosecond (10(-15)-second) laser technology was used to evaluate the subsurface tumor progression in control, dysplasia, and cancerous 7, 12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-treated hamster cheek pouch mucosa tissues. Two-dimensional images of hamster cheek pouch mucosa tissues were obtained by scanning the second harmonic signal at various sagittal and axial positions. The spatial mapping of the second harmonic signals showed depth differentiation between normal, dysplasia, and a more advanced cancerous state.

Characterization of potential endocrine-related health effects at low-dose levels of exposure to PCBs.

This article addresses issues related to the characterization of endocrine-related health effects resulting from low-level exposures to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). It is not intended to be a comprehensive review of the literature but reflects workshop discussions. "The Characterizing the Effects of Endocrine Disruptors on Human Health at Environmental Exposure Levels," workshop provided a forum to discuss the methods and data needed to improve risk assessments of endocrine disruptors.

Learning and memory in rats gestationally and lactationally exposed to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD).

Recently we reported that in utero and lactational exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) or coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) resulted in a reduction of errors on a radial arm maze (RAM) working memory task. The effect was more pronounced in males than in females. In this study, we further investigated the effects of in utero and lactational exposure to TCDD on learning and memory by testing male and female TCDD-exposed rats on three different spatial learning and memory tasks: the RAM, the Morris water maze (MWM), and spatial discrimination-reversal learning (RL), as well as on a nonspatial learning task, visual RL.

Motor function in aging Great Lakes fisheaters.

Exposure to contaminants in Great Lakes fish has been linked to impaired neuropsychological functioning in children, but neurological function of exposed adults has not been evaluated. This report describes a cross-sectional analysis of the effects of PCB/DDE exposure from contaminated fish on fine motor function in older adults. The subjects were 50-90-year-old Michigan residents who were members of a previously established study cohort.

Critical care for the severely ill head and neck patient.

Objective: To delineate the frequency and causes of admission to a critical care environment for patients undergoing head and neck surgery at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

Design: Retrospective clinical investigation.

Setting: Adult intensive care unit of a tertiary referral cancer center.

Native fluorescence spectroscopy of normal and malignant epithelial cells.

Native fluorescence spectroscopy of normal human oral and malignant epithelial cells was studied under uv excitation. Differences were observed in the excitation spectra between normal and malignant epithelial cells for 340 nm emission. The observed differences may be utilized for both discrimination and changes associated with the amino acid residues in the cellular proteins.

Efficient gene transfer to human squamous cell carcinomas by the herpes simplex virus type 1 amplicon vector.

Background: This study evaluates the efficiency of herpes simplex virus (HSV) mediated gene transfer in human squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cell lines in vitro and in vivo when delivered by selective intra-arterial perfusion.

Methods: Human head and neck SCC were exposed to HSV-LacZ and HSV-interleukin-2 (IL-2) and gene transfer and expression assessed by X-gal staining and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Hamster cheek pouch tumors were perfused with HSV-LacZ or HSV-IL-2, by microcannulating the external carotid artery, and gene transfer determined.

Green tea regulates cell cycle progression in oral leukoplakia.

Background: A complete in vitro multi-stage carcinogenesis model for oral cancer was developed to examine chemopreventive strategies. In the present study, the effects of EGCG [(-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate], the major constituent of green tea, is being examined to understand mechanisms of action.

Methods: Effects of EGCG on the cell populations were examined with growth assays, cell cycle analysis, and western blots for retinoblastoma protein (pRB).

A prospective phase II trial of concomitant chemotherapy and radiotherapy with delayed accelerated fractionation in unresectable tumors of the head and neck.

Background: Our study is a prospective evaluation of unresectable malignant cancers of the head and neck treated with concomitant chemotherapy and radiotherapy (RT) using delayed accelerated fractionation (concomitant boost).

Methods: Between January 1988 and March 1995, 82 patients with unresectable cancers of the head and neck were enrolled in this phase II study. Of these, 52 patients were treated and followed for a minimum of 3 years and are the subject of this analysis.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue in young patients: a matched-pair analysis.

Background: Tongue cancer is seen with increasing frequency in young individuals. There is controversy concerning the clinical course and outcome for oral tongue cancer in young patients.

Methods: A retrospective review of 36 patients under 40 years of age with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue was performed.