Predictors of survival in advanced oral cancers after salvage surgery with free tissue flap reconstruction.

Objective: To identify prognostic factors for patients with advanced persistent, recurrent, or 2nd primary oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) potentially unsuitable for salvage surgery with free tissue flap (FTF) reconstruction.

Materials And Methods: A population-based cohort of 83 consecutive patients with advanced OCSCC who underwent salvage surgery with FTF reconstruction at a tertiary referral centre between 1990 and 2017. Retrospective uni- and multivariable analyses were performed to identify factors affecting all-cause mortality (ACM), i.

Transcription from a gene desert in a melanoma porcine model.

The genetic mechanisms underlying cutaneous melanoma onset and progression need to be further understood to improve patients' care. Several studies have focused on the genetic determinism of melanoma development in the MeLiM pig, a biomedical model of cutaneous melanoma. The objective of this study was to better describe the influence of a particular genomic region on melanoma progression in the MeliM model.

Survival benefits from concomitant chemoradiotherapy before radical surgery in stage IVA sinonasal mucosal melanoma?

Background: The aim of the study was to review a local treatment protocol for sinonasal mucosal melanoma (SNMM) focusing on triple modality treatment (TMT), that is, neoadjuvant concomitant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and surgery.

Methods: In a retrospective design, data on clinical presentation, treatment, and survival were retrieved for 22 consecutive patients from a tertiary referral center.

Results: The mean overall survival (OS) for all patients (3 stage III, 16 stage IVA, and 3 stage IVB) was 62 months, and the 5-year OS rate 50%.

Transoral robotic surgery in the management of head and neck squamous cell cancer with unknown primary.

Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) assisted base of the tongue (BOT) resection has been suggested as part of the work-up for head and neck squamous cell cancer with unknown primary (HNSCC-CUP). Success rates vary with regard to identification of primary BOT lesions, and cases with likely such lesions appear to be included in previous reports. To analyse the possible benefits of a superficial TORS-assisted BOT resection in thoroughly investigated HNSCC-CUP.

Transoral Robotic Surgery in the Nordic Countries: Current Status and Perspectives.

The five Nordic countries with a population of 27 M people form a rather homogenous region in terms of health care. The management of head and neck cancer is centralized to the 21 university hospitals in these countries. Our aim was to gain an overview of the volume and role of transoral robotic surgery (TORS) and to evaluate the need to centralize it in this area as the field is rapidly developing.

Mutation, methylation, and gene expression profiles in dup(1q)-positive pediatric B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

High-throughput sequencing was applied to investigate the mutation/methylation patterns on 1q and gene expression profiles in pediatric B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP ALL) with/without (w/wo) dup(1q). Sequencing of the breakpoint regions and all exons on 1q in seven dup(1q)-positive cases revealed non-synonymous somatic single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in BLZF1, FMN2, KCNT2, LCE1C, NES, and PARP1. Deep sequencing of these in a validation cohort w (n = 17)/wo (n = 94) dup(1q) revealed similar SNV frequencies in the two groups (47% vs.

Inferring the evolution of the major histocompatibility complex of wild pigs and peccaries using hybridisation DNA capture-based sequencing.

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is a key genomic model region for understanding the evolution of gene families and the co-evolution between host and pathogen. To date, MHC studies have mostly focused on species from major vertebrate lineages. The evolution of MHC classical (Ia) and non-classical (Ib) genes in pigs has attracted interest because of their antigen presentation roles as part of the adaptive immune system.

Benefits of initial CT staging before sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with head and neck cutaneous melanoma.

Background: The value of CT at the time of diagnosis for patients with cutaneous head and neck melanoma clinically asymptomatic for metastatic disease is unclear.

Methods: A retrospective medical chart review was performed on 198 consecutive patients identified with primary T1b-T4b head and neck melanoma clinically asymptomatic for metastatic disease referred for sentinel lymph node biopsy procedures between 2004 and 2014.

Results: Initial CTs identified clinically occult melanoma metastases in 8.

SPlinted Ligation Adapter Tagging (SPLAT), a novel library preparation method for whole genome bisulphite sequencing.

Sodium bisulphite treatment of DNA combined with next generation sequencing (NGS) is a powerful combination for the interrogation of genome-wide DNA methylation profiles. Library preparation for whole genome bisulphite sequencing (WGBS) is challenging due to side effects of the bisulphite treatment, which leads to extensive DNA damage. Recently, a new generation of methods for bisulphite sequencing library preparation have been devised.

DNA methylome analysis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells reveals stochastic de novo DNA methylation in CpG islands.

Aim: To identify regions of aberrant DNA methylation in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells of different subtypes on a genome-wide scale.

Materials & Methods: Whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) was used to determine the DNA methylation levels in cells from four pediatric ALL patients of different subtypes. The findings were confirmed by 450k DNA methylation arrays in a large patient set.

Aspiration as a late complication after accelerated versus conventional radiotherapy in patients with head and neck cancer.

Conclusion Neck dissection after radiotherapy increased the risk of aspiration as a late effect in a sub-sample of patients treated for head and neck cancer in the ARTSCAN study. Patients treated with accelerated fractionation (AF) developed aspiration, with or without coughing, more frequently than patients treated with conventional fractionation (CF). Objectives A long-term follow-up study was conducted to determine the frequency of aspiration as a late effect in patients with head and neck cancer treated with AF or CF.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy staging for cutaneous malignant melanoma of the head and neck.

Conclusion Sentinel lymph node biopsies (SLNBs) can be performed safely and with reasonable accuracy in HNM patients. The outcome provides important prognostic information concerning DFS and further treatment. However, one must recognize that SLNB is a multidisciplinary procedure with a learning curve for all.

Mitogenomic analysis of a 50-generation chicken pedigree reveals a rapid rate of mitochondrial evolution and evidence for paternal mtDNA inheritance.

Mitochondrial genomes represent a valuable source of data for evolutionary research, but studies of their short-term evolution have typically been limited to invertebrates, humans and laboratory organisms. Here we present a detailed study of 12 mitochondrial genomes that span a total of 385 transmissions in a well-documented 50-generation pedigree in which two lineages of chickens were selected for low and high juvenile body weight. These data allowed us to test the hypothesis of time-dependent evolutionary rates and the assumption of strict maternal mitochondrial transmission, and to investigate the role of mitochondrial mutations in determining phenotype.

Qualitative interpretation of PET scans using a Likert scale to assess neck node response to radiotherapy in head and neck cancer.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine whether PET scans after radiotherapy (RT), visually interpreted as equivocal regarding metabolic neck node response can be used to accurately categorize patients as responders or nonresponders using a Likert scale and/or maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax). Other aims were to determine the performance of different methods for assessing post-RT PET scans (visual inspection, a Likert scale and SUVmax) and to establish whether any method is superior in predicting regional control (RC) and overall survival (OS).

Methods: In 105 patients with neck node-positive head and neck cancer, the neck node response was evaluated by FDG PET/CT 6 weeks after RT.

A prospective study of positron emission tomography for evaluation of neck node response 6 weeks after radiotherapy in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate if a positron emission tomography (PET) scan, 6 weeks after radiotherapy (RT), adequately selects patients in whom a neck node dissection can be omitted. Primary endpoints were isolated neck recurrences and overall survival (OS).

Methods: One hundred five patients, mainly with oropharyngeal human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive tumors, with a positive PET scan before treatment, were evaluated regarding the neck response 6 weeks post-RT.

The mutational landscape in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia deciphered by whole genome sequencing.

Genomic characterization of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has identified distinct patterns of genes and pathways altered in patients with well-defined genetic aberrations. To extend the spectrum of known somatic variants in ALL, we performed whole genome and transcriptome sequencing of three B-cell precursor patients, of which one carried the t(12;21)ETV6-RUNX1 translocation and two lacked a known primary genetic aberration, and one T-ALL patient. We found that each patient had a unique genome, with a combination of well-known and previously undetected genomic aberrations.

Radiotherapy response in head and neck cancer - evaluation of the primary tumour site.

Conclusion: PET-CT scans seem to be sufficient to rule out residual tumour at the primary site. Patients with positive or equivocal PET findings should be scheduled for endoscopy with biopsy or a second PET-CT scan.

Objectives: Assessment of remission at the primary site, in patients treated with organ preservation therapy with curative intent, is important to identify residual tumours requiring treatment with salvage surgery.

Weight loss and body mass index in relation to aspiration in patients treated for head and neck cancer: a long-term follow-up.

Purpose: Persistent severe swallowing dysfunction with aspiration is a common and sometimes overlooked sequelae after treatment for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) and may impact food intake and nutritional status. More knowledge is needed to increase the understanding of severe swallowing dysfunction as a risk factor for persistent nutritional deteriorations in SCCHN survivors. The purpose of the study was to investigate weight loss and body mass index (BMI) in relation to pharyngeal swallowing function in a long-term perspective in patients after SCCHN treatment.

Radiation-induced trismus in the ARTSCAN head and neck trial.

Unlabelled: Trismus, a well-known sequelae after treatment of head and neck cancer, decreases a patient's oral function and quality of life. The main objectives of this study were to: 1) investigate the long-term prevalence of radiation-induced trismus in patients treated for head and neck cancer according to two different fractionation schedules; and 2) model a dose-response relationship for trismus.

Material And Methods: Patients were recruited from the Swedish ARTSCAN trial, a prospective randomised multicentre study comparing conventional and accelerated fractionation.

Accurate detection of subclonal single nucleotide variants in whole genome amplified and pooled cancer samples using HaloPlex target enrichment.

Background: Target enrichment and resequencing is a widely used approach for identification of cancer genes and genetic variants associated with diseases. Although cost effective compared to whole genome sequencing, analysis of many samples constitutes a significant cost, which could be reduced by pooling samples before capture. Another limitation to the number of cancer samples that can be analyzed is often the amount of available tumor DNA.

Genome-wide signatures of differential DNA methylation in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Background: Although aberrant DNA methylation has been observed previously in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the patterns of differential methylation have not been comprehensively determined in all subtypes of ALL on a genome-wide scale. The relationship between DNA methylation, cytogenetic background, drug resistance and relapse in ALL is poorly understood.

Results: We surveyed the DNA methylation levels of 435,941 CpG sites in samples from 764 children at diagnosis of ALL and from 27 children at relapse.

Particle-induced pulmonary acute phase response correlates with neutrophil influx linking inhaled particles and cardiovascular risk.

Background: Particulate air pollution is associated with cardiovascular disease. Acute phase response is causally linked to cardiovascular disease. Here, we propose that particle-induced pulmonary acute phase response provides an underlying mechanism for particle-induced cardiovascular risk.

Foreign matter identification from solid dosage forms.

Despite the increased request for robust quality systems, the end product may contain unidentified defects or discoloured regions. The foreign matter has to be monitored, identified and its source defined in order to prevent further contamination. However, the identification task can be complicated, since the origin and nature of foreign matter are various.

Expression of carnitine palmitoyl-CoA transferase-1B is influenced by a cis-acting eQTL in two chicken lines selected for high and low body weight.

Carnitine palmitoyl-CoA transferase-1B is a mitochondrial enzyme in the fatty acid oxidation pathway. In a previous study, CPT1B was identified as differentially expressed in the hypothalamus of two lines of chickens established by long-term selection for high (HWS) or low (LWS) body weight. Mammals have three paralogs (CPT1a, b and c) while nonmammalian vertebrates only have two (CPT1A, B).