A. Mansouri

Antibodies to the Epstein-Barr virus transactivator protein (ZEBRA) as a valuable biomarker in young patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV)–associated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) generally occurs in adults, especially in high‐prevalence populations such as the Chinese and Eskimos. In Maghrebian populations, young patients affected with this malignancy represent 25% of the total NPC cases. In adults with NPC, relatively high titers of IgA antibodies to the EBV viral capsid antigen (VCA) and early antigen (EA) represent important markers. However, nearly 50% of young NPC patients are negative for IgA‐anti‐VCA and ‐EA or exhibit very low titers of these antibodies. We report here that 92% of sera from young NPC patients negative for IgA‐EA and 89% of those negative for IgA‐VCA were positive for IgG antibodies to the EBV transactivator protein (ZEBRA) at very high titers. Our results show that in young patients with NPC these antibodies represent the most reliable marker for diagnosis and prognosis, particularly when compared with conventional NPC markers, i.e., IgA‐VCA (58%) and anti‐EA (25%). The titers of IgG‐ZEBRA antibodies increased along with lymph node involvement only in the young patient group, suggesting a prognostic value of this marker in this patient group. Int. J. Cancer 86:71–75, 2000.

Study of human leukocyte antigen class I phenotypes in Moroccan patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Previous reports demonstrated an association between the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) and risk for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) among the Chinese in Singapore, a population with a high incidence of this malignancy. In our study, we assess the association between HLA and NPC in Morocco, a median‐prevalence area for this cancer, where NPC presents the particularity of also affecting young individuals. Using the standard microlympho‐cytotoxicity test, we typed a total of 154 Moroccan NPC patients and 257 unrelated healthy controls for their HLA‐A and B antigens. The results of these analyses show that the frequencies of HLA‐A10, HLA‐B13 and HLA‐B18 were found to be higher in the NPC group than in the control group, whereas HLA‐A9 was associated with a decreased risk. After correction for the number of specificities tested, these differences were statistically significant only for HLA‐B18 (corrected p value [pc] < 0.023, relative risk [RR] = 4.14) and HLA‐A9 (pc < 0.023, RR = 0.45). The comparison of the distribution of the HLA antigens in younger and older cohorts of patients shows that the incidence of HLA‐A10 and HLA‐ B18 was higher in the older group, whereas the frequencies of HLA‐A19 and HLA‐B13 were significantly higher in younger patients compared with controls. The presence of both HLA‐A19 and HLA‐B13 phenotypes correlated with an increased risk of developing NPC among overall patients compared with controls. According to the sex distribution, increased frequency of HLA‐B18 was found in male and female NPC patients compared with controls, whereas the frequency of HLA‐A10 was higher only in male NPC patients compared with controls.

Cerebellous metastases in patients with uterine cervical cancer. Two cases reports and review of the literature

Brain metastases from cervical cancer are extremely rare. We report on two patients who developed cerebellous metastases following uterine cervical cancer. The interval between diagnosis of the primary cancer and diagnosis of brain metastasis was 8 months. The main complaint was symptoms of increased intracranial pressure and cerebellous syndrome. Surgical excision of the brain lesion followed by radiation therapy was performed in the first case. The second patient received palliative radiation therapy. The first patient died 8 months after diagnosis. The second patient is alive 2 months after diagnosis.

Carcinome épidermoïde primitif du sein. À propos de 3 cas

Resume Les carcinomes epidermoides primitifs du sein sont rares. Ils sont d’origine metaplasique. Leur histogenese reste obscure. Les aspects cliniques ne sont pas specifiques. Contrairement aux adenocarcinomes, les carcinomes epidermoides du sein ne sont pas hormonodependants et sont peu lymphophiles. Le traitement associe la chirurgie, la radiotherapie et la chimiotherapie. Le pronostic semble etre similaire a celui des autres carcinomes mammaires. Nous rapportons trois cas de carcinome epidermoide primitif du sein collige a l’institut national d’oncologie et une revue de la litterature.

Métastase musculaire d'un carcinome épidermoïde du col utérin

Resume Les metastases musculaires son rares, leur nombre est probablement sous estime. Les auteurs rapportent le cas d’une patiente suivie et traitee, depuis 1993, pour un carcinome epidermoide du col uterin. Cinq annees plus tard, la patiente a eu une metastase du muscle psoas. Le traitement a consiste en une exerese chirurgicale de la lesion suivie d’une radiotherapie adjuvante. La patiente est toujours suivie en consultation avec un bon controle local 30 mois apres diagnostic de la metastase.