Wieslaw Golabek

Activity of matrix metalloproteinases-2 and -9 in advanced laryngeal cancer

OBJECTIVES: Matrix metalloproteinases-2 and -9 (MMP-2 and MMP-9) are proteolytic enzymes that digest collagen type IV and other components of the basement membrane. They play a key role in local invasion and the formation of distant metastases by malignant tumors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in stage III and IV laryngeal cancers. STUDY DESIGN: In the study we used specimens of laryngeal cancer and surrounding normal mucosa obtained from 23 patients undergoing surgical treatment as a primary therapy. After extraction of MMP-2 and MMP-9 from tissue samples, their activity was assessed with zymography. RESULTS: Greater activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 and a higher active/latent MMP-2 ratio were found in cancer compared with normal mucosa. Moreover, N2 tumors revealed greater activity of MMP-2 in comparison with N1 and N0 tumors. CONCLUSIONS: Results of the study indicate that both MMP-2 and MMP-9 may be involved in the expansion of laryngeal cancer. MMP-2 may also play an important role in the lymphatic spread of some laryngeal tumors.

An immunohistochemical study of cyclin D1 protein expression in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Conclusion. Contrary to most reports, our study shows that the expression of cyclin D1 is not an independent prognostic factor in patients with laryngeal cancer (LC). No correlation between cyclin D1 expression and survival rates in LC was found in a multivariate analysis. Objectives. The aim of this study was to determine the possible relevance of the expression of cyclin D1 protein in LC as prognostic criteria and to analyse correlation of the expression with clinicopathological features and survival rates. Materials and methods. Immunohistochemistry staining was used to detect the expression of cyclin D1 in 130 samples of laryngeal cancer and in 22 specimens of laryngeal nodules. Results. Cyclin D1 expression was found in 52 (40%) LC samples and in 3 (13.6%) samples of laryngeal nodules. There was no significant correlation between cyclin D1 expression and clinicopathological features of LC. A multivariate analysis of survival confirmed that cyclin D1 expression was not an independent prognostic factor in LC.

Effect of stapedectomy on subjective tinnitus.

A series of 149 patients, who had tinnitus associated with otosclerosis, and who underwent stapedectomy by a single operator were questioned about their tinnitus one to 19 years after surgery. Of these, 73 per cent reported that their tinnitus had ceased following surgery, 17 per cent that it had improved and only 10 per cent that it was unchanged. No pre-operative audiometric or patient data were associated with a favourable outcome in terms of tinnitus improvement. Patients who had poor hearing outcomes reported abolition of their tinnitus, suggesting that this was due to the improvement in the fluid mechanics of the cochlea resulting from stapedectomy. The tinnitus status was unrelated to the length of follow-up time.