Purpose: Two Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-based testing approaches have shown promise for early detection of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Neither has been independently validated nor their performance compared. We compared their diagnostic performance in an independent population.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The study aims are to evaluate the associations between nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) risk and cigarette smoking and to explore the effects of cigarette smoking on Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection for NPC risk.
Methods: 1235 male NPC cases and 1262 hospital-based male controls matched to cases were recruited across six collaborative hospitals between 2010 and 2014. Using a standardized questionnaire, information on cigarette smoking and other potential risk factors for NPC was obtained.
Background: Genetic susceptibility is associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). We previously identified rare variants potentially involved in familial NPC and common variants significantly associated with sporadic NPC.
Methods: We conducted targeted gene sequencing of 20 genes [16 identified from the study of multiplex families, three identified from a pooled analysis of NPC genome-wide association study (GWAS), and one identified from both studies] among 819 NPC cases and 938 controls from two case-control studies in Taiwan (independent from previous studies).
Human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) constitutes an inflammatory microenvironment enriched with chemokines such as CCL20, which promote cancer cell invasion and tumor progression. We found that in OSCC there is a correlation between the expression of and mRNA. Therefore, we hypothesized that OSCC may favor the recruitment and retention of regulatory T (Treg) cells that express the CCL20 receptor, CCR6.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe radiofrequency ablation (RFA) lesion size is posited to be disproportionate to the total delivered energy, and temperature-time integration (TTI) may have a more critical effect on lesion size. The present study aimed to evaluate this hypothesis by determining the temperature threshold and temperature distribution over tissues during the RFA lesioning process. Using an chicken tissue model and an rabbit model with RFA applied for 2 min under various target temperature settings, the resultant lesions were evaluated histologically using Masson's trichrome stain.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground/aims: To validate the effectiveness of a newly developed light-emitting diode (LED)-narrow band imaging (NBI) system for detecting early malignant tumors in the oral cavity.
Methods: Six men (mean age, 51.5 years) with early oral mucosa lesions were screened using both the conventional white light and LED-NBI systems.
Background/purpose: Acoustic analysis is often used in speech evaluation but seldom for the evaluation of oral prostheses designed for reconstruction of surgical defect. This study aimed to introduce the application of acoustic analysis for patients with velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) due to oral surgery and rehabilitated with oral speech-aid prostheses.
Methods: The pre- and postprosthetic rehabilitation acoustic features of sustained vowel sounds from two patients with VPI were analyzed and compared with the acoustic analysis software Praat.
It is generally believed that radiofrequency energy delivered to the tissue determines the RFA lesion size. The purpose of this study was to re-evaluate this relationship and propose a potentially parameter of temperature-time integration as a better indicator of RFA lesion size. Using an Ex Vivo lesioning model, fixed 300 J RFA lesions were created under target temperature settings of 65, 75, and 85 °C.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCD8(+) T cells play important roles in anti-tumor immunity but distribution profile or functional characteristics of effector memory subsets during tumor progression are unclear. We found that, in oral squamous carcinoma patients, circulating CD8(+) T cell pools skewed toward effector memory subsets with the distribution frequency of CCR7(-)CD45RA(-)CD8(+) T cells and CCR7(-) CD45RA(+)CD8(+) T cells negatively correlated with each other. A significantly higher frequency of CD127(lo) CCR7(-)CD45RA(-)CD8(+) T cells or CCR7(-)CD45RA(+)CD8(+) T cells among total CD8(+) T cells was found in peripheral blood or tumor infiltrating lymphocytes, but not in regional lymph nodes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCryptococcosis of the larynx is rare. In this manuscript we present a case of laryngeal cryptococcosis with a clear history of pigeon exposure. Cryptococcal laryngitis may present as hoarseness without other typical symptoms, even in immunocompetent individuals.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPlasmacytoma is an extremely rare and discrete solitary mass of neoplastic monoclonal plasma cells. Extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) tends to occur during the fifth and seventh decades of life and is rarely diagnosed in younger patients. Only four cases of EMP have been previously reported in relatively young patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Very little is known about the relationship between non-sickle cell anemia and stroke. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the association of iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) with stroke based on a nationwide coverage database in Taiwan.
Methods: The case-control study subjects were obtained from the Taiwanese Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000.
The aim of the present study is to review the recurrence patterns and incidence of second primary tumors (SPTs) in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) who underwent surgery alone without postoperative adjuvant therapy. Data on patients recorded in the head and neck cancer registry of Cathay General Hospital were reviewed. A total of 72 patients with T1-3N0 OSCC who underwent surgery alone were included.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOtolaryngol Head Neck Surg
January 2012
Objective: Spontaneous pneumomediastinum (SPM) is a rare disease entity that often manifests localized signs in the head and neck region. The thoracic features of SPM have been well described; however, there is a paucity of information on its otolaryngological characteristics. The authors describe the clinical management among SPM patients having primarily head and neck symptoms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: T helper 17 (Th17) and regulatory T cells share plasticity in the expression of interleukin (IL)-17 and forkhead box P3 (FOXP3), but their mutual presence in human diseases is unclear.
Methods: IL-17 and FOXP3 were analyzed by immunohistostaining and flow cytometry. The cytokine milieu was analyzed by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
Background/purpose: Castleman's disease (CD) is a rare and complex disease that involves the head and neck region. In our hospital, only three cases of CD in the head and neck region have been encountered in the past 20 years.
Methods: To establish a database of Castleman's disease in Taiwan and to compare it to published western studies, we collected case reports of CD in the head and neck region in Taiwan from 1992 to 2007.
Background/purpose: Unilateral maxillary sinus opacity can be caused by many diseases, but an exact diagnosis is difficult to make. The aim of this study was to describe the pathological conditions and clinical features of patients with unilateral maxillary sinus opacity.
Methods: From 2004 to 2008, 830 consecutive patients underwent sinus surgery or endonasal endoscopic biopsy at an academic tertiary care center.
Objectives: We have developed an animal model to investigate the feasibility of using a digital radiography picture archive and communication system (PACS) to identify fish bones.
Subjects And Methods: Bones from 21 species of freshwater and seawater fish were placed in the upper esophagus of a test pig. Digital radiographic images of the lateral neck were taken (60 kV, 200 mA, and 20 ms, 100 cm in distance).
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg
March 2008
Objective: Acute epiglottitis is a potentially disastrous disease seen occasionally in otolaryngology emergency service. This study reports our experiences in managing adult patients with acute epiglottitis in a Taiwanese setting.
Study Design: Admission medical records from 46 adult patients with acute epiglottitis over a period of 8 years in a tertiary referral otolaryngology service were retrospectively reviewed.