Expression of Cyclooxygenase-1 and Cyclooxygenase-2 in Mitotic Cells in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck: a Preliminary Study

To clarify difference in terms of the expression of cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and cyclooxyge- nase-2 (COX-2) in squamous cell carcinoma in the head and neck (HNSCC), an immunohistochemi- cal study was performed for specimens obtained from 4 patients with HNSCC, and 3 normal volun- teers. COX-1 and COX-2 expressions were observed in small round cells, plasma cells and fibrob- lasts in interstitial tissue. An apparent difference in expression between COX-1 and COX-2 is that strong positive COX-2 expression was recognized in mitosis in 2 HNSCC patients, whereas COX-1 immunoreactivity was not seen in mitosis among 4. These preliminary findings suggest that COX-2 may have an important role in proliferation of HNSCC and COX-2 can be a target for the prevention or treatment of HNSCC

Boron neutron capture therapy outcomes for advanced or recurrent head and neck cancer.

We retrospectively review outcomes of applying boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) to unresectable advanced or recurrent head and neck cancers. Patients who were treated with BNCT for either local recurrent or newly diagnosed unresectable head or neck cancers between December 2001 and September 2007 were included. Clinicopathological characteristics and clinical outcomes were retrieved from hospital records. Either a combination of borocaptate sodium and boronophenylalanine (BPA) or BPA alone were used as boron compounds. In all the treatment cases, the dose constraint was set to deliver a dose <10-12 Gy-eq to the skin or oral mucosa. There was a patient cohort of 62, with a median follow-up of 18.7 months (range, 0.7-40.8). A total of 87 BNCT procedures were performed. The overall response rate was 58% within 6 months after BNCT. The median survival time was 10.1 months from the time of BNCT. The 1- and 2-year overall survival (OS) rates were 43.1% and 24.2%, respectively. The major acute Grade 3 or 4 toxicities were hyperamylasemia (38.6%), fatigue (6.5%), mucositis/stomatitis (9.7%) and pain (9.7%), all of which were manageable. Three patients died of treatment-related toxicity. Three patients experienced carotid artery hemorrhage, two of whom had coexistent infection of the carotid artery. This study confirmed the feasibility of our dose-estimation method and that controlled trials are warranted

Development of the Sphenoid Sinus in Japanese Children: A Retrospective Longitudinal Study Using Three-Dimensional Computed Tomography

Background: The sphenoid sinus (SS) is located close to vital structures, such as the pituitary gland, and it has significant clinical relevance. This study aimed to clarify the growth pattern of the SS in Japanese children using three-dimensional computed tomography (CT). Methods: Seventy-eight participants with congenital, acquired, or external auditory canal cholesteatoma were recruited and underwent CT more than twice during their treatment. Using the volume-rendered images, the size and volume of the SS were measured. Furthermore, on the scout image, the morphological measurements of the cranial base were determined. Results: The size and volume of the SS increased with age, and peaked at the mean age of 15 years. For males, the volume of the SS was smaller than that of females aged &lt;5 years. The growth rate of the SS was significantly higher in males than in females. The maximum growth rate was detected at the age of 12 years for males and 10 years for females. For females, the increase in the length of the anterior cranial base ceased at approximately 10 years of age and remained constant thereafter. In contrast, for males, the length of the anterior cranial base increased gradually until 15 years of age. Conclusions: Considering the similarity of the periods between the adolescent growth spurt and the maximum growth rate of the SS, changes in the size of the SS may be used as an indicator of the physical growth spurt