Matthaeus Ch. Grasl

Elevated levels of circulating endothelial progenitor cells in head and neck cancer patients.

Measurement of circulating endothelial cells (CECs) and progenitor cells (EPCs) has potential as a surrogate marker for monitoring anticancer treatment. This study evaluated the significance of CECs and EPCs in the blood of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Multimodal treatment of patients with minor salivary gland cancer in the case of recurrent disease

Our aim in this study was to identify prognostic factors and the optimal therapeutic management in patients with minor salivary gland carcinomas.

Transformation of pleomorphic adenoma to carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid gland is independent of p53 mutations

This retrospective study was performed to evaluate the status of p53 in pleomorphic adenomas and carcinomas ex pleomorphic adenoma in the parotid gland. As loss or mutation of p53 can cause malignant transformation, the possible degeneration of pleomorphic adenomas to carcinomas ex pleomorhic adenoma was investigated by mutational analysis.

Endoscopy of Larynx and Trachea with Rigid Laryngo- Tracheoscopes Under Superimposed High-Frequency Jet Ventilation (SHFJV)

1.1.1. Indirect laryngoscopy Knowing that almost all laryngeal and tracheal diseases are visible at the surface of the mucous membranes it is of particular interest to visualize these structures. Endoscopic examinations of the larynx and the trachea are essential in the otorhinolaryngo‐ logical field and had their beginning over 200 years ago. Before the 1800`s only autopsy specimen could clarify laryngotracheal diseases. In 1807 the physian Phillip Bozzini (Germany) reported about a speculum called “the light conductor, or a simple apparatus for the illumination of the internal cavities and spaces in the living animal body” [1]. In 1816 Ludwig Mende (Germany), a gynaecologist & obstetrician and forensic doctor examined first the inner part of the larynx at a living human being. He looked at a larynx of a suicidal person, who had cut through the soft tissue of the supraglottic area [2]. In 1827 L. Senn (Switzerland) successfully examined the larynx of a child with a small mirrow, cited in [3]. In 1829 Benjamin Guy Babington (Great Britain) developed a larynx-mirrow “glottoscope” and could illuminate the upper parts of the larynx. The instrument combined an epiglottic retractor with a laryngeal mirror. He presented it in the Hunterian Society of London [4].

Expression of Merkelcell polyomavirus (MCPyV) large T-antigen in Merkel cell carcinoma lymph node metastases predicts poor outcome

Background The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of MCPyV in Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) primaries versus lymph node metastasis and to evaluate possible prognostic factors. Methods Samples of MCC primaries and lymph node metastases were stained immunohistochemically for the MCPyV large T-antigen and expression was compared to patients´ clinical outcome. Results 41 MCC patients were included. 33 (61%) out of 54 specimens were MCPyV-positive in the immunohistochemistry. 15 (47%) out of 32 primary tumors were positive compared to 18 (82%) out of 22 lymph node metastases. Eleven patients with positive polyomavirus expression died from the carcinoma compared to 4 patients without virus expression. Cox regression analysis showed worse disease-free survival in patients with MCPyV compared to virus-negative lymph nodes (p = 0.002). Conclusions To our knowledge this is the first study to describe a negative prognostic effect of the MCPyV expression in lymph node metastasis in MCC patients.

Impact of combined treatment with nimesulide and cisplatin on oral carcinoma cells

Background Despite significant advances in diagnosis and therapy, the rate of survival of patients with oral cancers still remains poor as an appropriate treatment has not been found yet, due to side effects of chemo/radiotherapy. Aim This study aimed to identify molecular mechanisms of cell death of oral cancer cells caused by treatment with a nonselective Cox-2 inhibitor in combination with a low-dose chemotherapeutic drug. Methods Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cells SCC9 and SCC25 were subjected to mono- and combination therapy with nimesulide and cisplatin. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), immunohistochemistry, high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), microarray gene chips, and isobaric tags for a relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) system were used. Results Increased numbers of apoptotic and necrotic SCC9/SCC25 cells were detected after combined exposure. ATP levels and the energy charge of SCC9 cells were significantly decreased after both individual and combined treatment. We detected and quantified a responsible gene, keratin 6a, and 540 relevant proteins. In SCC25 cells, ATP levels significantly decreased only after combination therapy. After combined treatment of SCC9 cells, significant upregulation of Histon-H2A/H2B/H4 was found, with a local discovery false rate of 0.003 for Histon-H2A and 0.0027 for Histon-H2B, respectively. Conclusion Compared to the single-drug treatment, combined treatment of the oral cancer cells with nimesulide and cisplatin increases and induces necrosis and apoptosis through different pathways. A significant effect of the cytoplasmic increase was also observed in histones of cell lines SCC9 and SCC25 that were previously treated with combined nimesulide and cisplatin therapy.

Prognostic survival value of retropharyngeal lymph node involvement in sinonasal tumors: A retrospective, descriptive, and exploratory study

Sinonasal carcinomas are rare. The purpose of this study was for us to present our assessment of the effects of retropharyngeal lymph node involvement at diagnosis on patient outcomes.

Impact of anatomic origin of primary squamous cell carcinomas of the nasal cavity and ethmoidal sinus on clinical outcome

PurposeSince squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) of the nasoethmoidal complex are rare and aggressive malignancies, the purpose of this study was to evaluate whether anatomic subsites of SCCs of the nasal cavity and ethmoid sinuses affect clinical outcome.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed data from 47 patients with primary SCCs of the nasal cavity and ethmoid sinuses who were treated at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, between 1993 and 2018. The impact of anatomic subsites of nasoethmoidal SCCs was evaluated with respect to tumor and nodal classification, disease-free survival (DFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS).ResultsOf the 47 cases, 17 SCCs (36.2%) originated from lateral nasal wall followed by 13 (27.7%) tumors of the edge of naris to mucocutaneous junction, 11 (23.4%) SCCs of the nasal septum, 3 tumors of the nasal floor (6.4%) and 3 SCCs of the ethmoid sinuses (6.4%), respectively. SCCs of the nasal septum were associated with significantly higher rates of neck node metastasis (p = 0.007), which represented a significantly worse prognostic factor for DSS (HR 7.87; p < 0.001). Moreover, advanced tumor stage (HR 5.38; p = 0.014) and tumor origin of nasal septum (HR 4.05; p = 0.025) were also significantly worse prognostic factors for DSS. Fourteen patients (29.8%) developed recurrent disease, including eight local (17.0%), five regional (10.6%) and one distant (2.1%) recurrence. Elective neck dissection (ND) was associated with lower (0 vs. 20.0%) but not significantly different regional and distant DFS (p = 0.075).ConclusionAnatomic origin of nasal SCC has significant impact on clinical outcome. SCCs of the nasal septum were associated with higher rates of positive neck nodes and worse outcome.