[Radiotherapeutical chromosomal aberrations in laryngeal cancer patients].

Introduction: The authors present the results of cytogenetic analysis of 21 patients with laryngeal carcinomas diagnosed and treated in the period 1995-2000 at the Institute of Otorhinolaryngology and Maxillofacial Surgery, Clinical Center of Serbia and Clinical Center of Novi Sad.

Material And Methods: The patients were specially monitored and the material was analyzed at the Institute of Human Genetics of the School of Medicine in Belgrade as well as in the Laboratory for Radiological Protection of the Institute of Occupational and Radiological Health "Dr Dragomir Karajovic" in Belgrade.

Results: The incidence of chromosomal aberrations and incidence of exchange of material between sister chromatids were observed in the preparation of the metaphasic lymphocyte chromosomes of the peripheral blood obtained in the culture.

Head-neck cancer drug therapy--could it be improved?

Head-neck cancer is an area requiring more attention to a highly demanding therapy which has not been fully developed yet. Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, including improvements of surgical techniques, radio- and chemotherapy and prevention strategies, the survival rates of patients with recurrent head-neck cancer are low. New drugs, including those targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor, p53 gene, RAS protein post-translation modification, the proteosome, vascular endothelial growth factor, cyclooxigenase-2 and other molecular pathways, are promising agents for management of head-neck cancer.

Case-control study of oropharyngeal cancer.

Background: In order to test some hypotheses of risk factors for oropharyngeal cancer (neoplasm of base of tongue, palate and tonsils) matched case-control study was conducted in Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro, during the period 1998-2000.

Methods: Study comprised 100 incidence cases with oropharyngeal cancer and 100 controls with some non-malignant diseases of head and neck.

Results: According to multivariate analysis, ever smoking, interaction between smoking and alcohol consumption, and occupational exposure to wood dust were found to be independent risk factors for oropharyngeal cancer (odds ratio-OR=5.