Bortezomib sensitizes primary human esthesioneuroblastoma cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis.

TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), a promising novel anti-cancer cytokine of the TNF superfamily, and Bortezomib, the first-in-class clinically used proteasome inhibitor, alone or in combination have been shown to efficiently kill numerous tumor cell lines. However, data concerning primary human tumor cells are very rare. Using primary esthesioneuroblastoma cells we analyzed the anti-tumor potential and the mechanism employed by Bortezomib in combination with TRAIL for the treatment of this rare but aggressive tumor.

Is PET superior to MRI in the pretherapeutic evaluation of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma?

Objectives: This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the pretherapeutic staging of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the head and neck.

Patients And Methods: The study included 34 consecutive patients (27 males, 7 females; mean age 61 years; range 42 to 82 years) with SCC of the head and neck. All the patients underwent whole body [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET and MRI scans for pretherapeutic evaluation.

Lower lip reconstruction with the tongue flap: surgical technique and long-term results.

Objective: To demonstrate the functional long-term results after reconstruction of the lower lip with the tongue flap.

Methods: We describe the surgical technique and long-term results of lower lip reconstruction with the tongue flap and review five cases in which this technique was used to reconstruct defects of the lower lip, particularly the lip vermilion.

Results: Between 1993 and 2003 we performed reconstruction of the lower lip using the tongue flap in five patients.