Peritumoral p53 Expression in Oral Carcinoma

p53 is one of the most frequently mutated genes in human tumors including head and neck tumors like oral squamous cell carcinoma. It might be responsible for more than 50% of all relapses in patients with surgically treated oral carcinoma and clean margins. The aim of the present study was to explore p53 protein expression in peritumoral tissue and correlate it with relapse of the disease. The study included 25 patients (17 males and 8 females) with oral squamous cell carcinoma in the period August 2006 till August 2008. For immunohistochemical assay, a monoclonal antibody against p53 protein was applied (clone DO-7, DAKO Glostrup, Denmark). Peritumoral expression of p53 was as follows: 10 out of 25 cases (40%) were negative, 2 cases (8%) showed weak, 5 cases (20%) moderate and 8 cases (32%) strong p53 positivity. No significant correlation between peritumoral expression of p53 protein and patient’s relapse was found. In contrast, we found a trend toward association between intratumoral p53 expression and patient’s relapse (p=0.07). There was also trend toward higher peritumoral p53 expression in females comparing with p53 expression in males (52.9% of males did not have p53 expression while 87.5% females had mild, moderate or high p53 expression, p=0.088). Peritumoral expression of p53 protein is frequently seen in oral squamous cell carcinoma and merits further research

The Role of the Stroma in Carcinogenesis

This systematic review considers the most recent attitudes and news regarding the influence of the stroma on tumor initiation and progression. It is now widely accepted that tumor stroma plays an active role in carcinogenesis. Many different signaling molecules, ligands and signaling pathways recently have been discovered. This review considers the complexity of interactions between malignant cells and its stroma (cross-talk). The recent advances and better understanding of the tumor-stroma interactions will have important impact on the new and combined therapeutic approaches and modalities

Empirical Antibiotic Therapy of Sepsis in Surgical Intensive Care Unit

Retrospective study was conducted in surgical intensive care unit (ICU) in Clinical Hospital Center Zagreb in 2005. The aim of study was to create guidelines for empirical antibiotic therapy of sepsis in ICU for unknown causative agent based on antimicrobial susceptibility of causative bacteria. Thirty-two patients with severe sepsis were included in study and from medical records their clinical and microbiological data were analyzed. Antimicrobial susceptibility of the strains isolated from the blood-culture was tested by disk diffusion method according to CLSI (Clinical Laboratory Standard Institution). We used APACHE II score to predict the severity of illness. Mann-Whitney test and χ2 test were used to test statistical significance difference between results. Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the predominant causative agent. Acinetobacter baumannii was displaying excellent susceptibility to ampicillin+sulbactam and carbapenems, whereas Pseudomonas aeruginosa was showed good susceptibility on ceftazidim and carbapenems. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), third predominant causative agent exhibiting good susceptibility to vancomycin and linezolide. The recommended therapy is empirical antibiotic therapy and should cover all important pathogens

Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma: Cyclin D1, bcl-2, p53, Ki-67 and Her-2 Proteins Expression in Resected Tumors

The aim of this study was to investigate expression of cyclin D1, bcl-2, p53, Ki-67 and HER-2 proteins in 14 cases of non-small cell lung cancer and to establish their correlation to classical clinico-pathological findings, and alleged prognostic value to estimate biological potential of tumor. Retrospective pilot study of the surgically treated non-small cell lung cancer biopsy specimen, paraffin embedded, used immu-nohistochemical method to demonstrate expression of cyclin D1, bcl-2, p53, Ki-67 and HER-2. Protein quantification was performed by the semi-quantitative method. Achieved results were correlated with classical clinico-pathological parameters, like tumor size, histological type, differentiation level, presence ofvascular invasion and metastasis in regional lymph nodes. Out of 14 cases of non-small cell lung cancer, squamous cell carcinoma was found in 7 patients, giant cell carcinoma in 3, adenocarcinoma in 2, and 1 case of pleomorphic and mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Expression of cyclin D1 was not found, while expression of HER-2 and bcl-2 protein was established in one cases each. p53 expression was noted in 8 cases (57,1%). Statistically positive significant correlation (p<0,05) was found among: presence of lympho-vascular invasion to tumor tissue and appearance of nodal metastasis; proliferation Ki-67 index and level of tumor differentiation, i.e. size of tumor. Other investigated parameters showed no significant statistically dependence. p53 expression was not correlated to any of the investigated parameters what might imply the possibility that there is an independent pathway of this protein expression. Negative expression of bcl-2 protein points out to possibility that it is not included into process of tumor apoptosis, as well as that proteins cyclin D1 and HER-2 are not included into processes of the tumor genesis. Since the prolif-erative activity of the tumor, measured by the expression of Ki-67, is correlated to the gradus and size of the tumor mass, Ki-67 protein can be of a prognostic value to determine biological potential of non-small cell lung cancer