Rami Ben-Yosef

Reduced Repair of the Oxidative 8-Oxoguanine DNA Damage and Risk of Head and Neck Cancer

An increasing number of studies indicate that reduced DNA-repair capacity is associated with increased cancer risk. Using a functional assay for the removal of the oxidative DNA lesion 8-oxoguanine by the DNA-repair enzyme 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1 (OGG1), we have previously shown that reduced OGG activity is a risk factor in lung cancer. Here, we report that OGG activity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 37 cases with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) was significantly lower than in 93 control subjects, frequency matched for age and gender. Retesting of OGG activity 3 to 4 years after diagnosis and successful treatment of 18 individuals who recovered from the disease showed that OGG activity values were similar to those determined at diagnosis, suggesting that reduced OGG activity in case patients was not caused by the disease. Logistic regression analysis indicated that the adjusted odds ratio (OR) associated with a unit decrease in OGG activity was statistically significantly increased [OR, 2.3; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.5-3.4]. Individuals in the lowest tertile of OGG activity exhibited an increased risk of SCCHN with an OR of 7.0 (95% CI, 2.0-24.5). The combination of smoking and low OGG was associated with a highly increased estimated relative risk for SCCHN. These results suggest that low OGG is associated with the risk of SCCHN, and if confirmed by additional epidemiologic studies, screening of smokers for low OGG activity might be used as a strategy for the prevention of lung cancer and SCCHN.

Lymphoscintigraphy for sentinel node mapping using a hybrid single photon emission CT (SPECT)/CT system in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma.

We assessed the added clinical value of fused single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and low‐dose CT images compared with planar images for sentinel node (SN) mapping in patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

ErbB4 increases the proliferation potential of human lung cancer cells and its blockage can be used as a target for anti-cancer therapy.

Clinical and experimental data suggest that ErbB‐4, a member of the epidermal growth factor receptor family, may have a role in cancer progression and response to treatment. We found recently, using a retrospective clinical analysis, that expression of ErbB‐4 receptor is correlated with metastatic potential and patient survival in non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The purpose of this work was to correlate the expression of the ErbB‐4 and lung cancer cells growth in vitro and in vivo and to determine the therapeutic potential of a monoclonal antibody to ErbB‐4 against lung cancer. For this aim, we ectopically expressed ErbB‐4 in a human NSCLC cell line that did not express the ErbB‐4 protein. Overexpression of ErbB‐4 produced a constitutively activated ErbB‐4 receptor. The transfected ErbB‐4 positive clones showed an increased cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo in comparison with parental ErbB‐4 negative cells and with the cells transfected by neomycin‐resistant gene. A monoclonal antibody to ErbB‐4 showed both an inhibitory effect on growth rate and an increasing apoptotic rate in the cells expressing ErbB‐4. The results of the current study provide evidence that ErbB‐4 plays a significant role in human lung cancer and may serve as a molecular target for anticancer therapy.

Curcumin: A Potential Radio-Enhancer in Head and Neck Cancer

To investigate whether curcumin enhances the cytotoxic effect of radiotherapy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

Quality of life in patients older than 75 years following major head and neck surgery.

This study was designed to evaluate the quality of life (QOL) of patients older than 75 years undergoing major head and neck surgery.

Elective paratracheal neck dissection for lateral metastases from papillary carcinoma of the thyroid: is it indicated?

Therapeutic paratracheal neck dissection for patients with papillary carcinoma of the thyroid is standard treatment. Its use as an elective procedure is controversial.

The Sensitivity of Preoperative Scanning in Regional Recurrence of Papillary Thyroid Cancer

BACKGROUND: The treatment of patients with regionally recurrent papillary carcinoma of the thyroid is a matter of controversy. Radioactive nodal picking was proposed as an alternative to neck dissection in these patients. METHODS: We analyzed neck dissection specimens in 20 patients with PTC and compared the results to preoperative total-body scan (TBS) following a therapeutic dose of I131 and ultra-sonographic findings. RESULTS: Eighteen patients underwent paratracheal neck dissection and 10 patients had a lateral neck dissection. Preoperative TBS detected the correct number of positive nodes in only 1 patient (5%) and the correct number of patients with positive nodes in 6/20 (30%) of the patients. US detected 32/98 positive nodes (36%) and 20/20 (100%) of the patients. Prediction of the number of positive nodes for both TBS and US was low (5% and 10%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative TBS and/or US cannot satisfactorily predict metastatic lymph node involvement and cannot safely delineate limited surgery to replace formal neck dissection in patients with regionally recurrent PTC.

Establishing Schedules for Repeated Doses of Strontium and for Concurrent Chemotherapy in Hormone-Resistant Patients With Prostate Cancer Measurement of Blood and Urine Strontium Levels

Strontium-89 (Sr-89) alone or with concurrent chemotherapy has a role in the treatment of patients with prostate cancer (PCP). The schedules for repeated doses of Sr-89 or for concurrent chemotherapy is undetermined. The objective of this study was to measure the effective half-life (Te) of Sr-89 using a detector available in a nuclear research facility. Blood and urine samples obtained from PCP treated with Sr-89 (Metastron, Amersham, U.K.) were measured for radioactivity with a High Pure Germanium (HPGe) detector in a gamma spectrometry system (Eurisys, France). Twenty-five urine and 22 blood samples were obtained from 8 patients during a period of 160 days after Metastron injection. Sr-89 radioactivity levels in blood and urine were quite low (<8.2 × 10-3 μCi/mL) in all patients after 21 days, whereas Sr-85 (available in 0.5% of Metastron) urine and, to a lesser extent, blood radioactivity levels were moderately high and could be detected up to 160 days. Based on Sr-85 urine levels, the calculated Sr-89 Te ranged from 9.6 to 20.7 days. Sr-89 Te can be routinely calculated in PCP based on HPGe detection of Sr-85 radioactivity levels in urine. This measurement can establish schedules for either repeated doses of Sr-89 or concurrent chemotherapy.