PTCH-1 and MDM2 expression in ameloblastoma from a West African sub-population: Implication for chemotherapeutics

Introduction: Ameloblastoma is a slow growing, painless odontogenic swelling which can attain sizes that result in severe deformities of thecraniofacial complex. It is the most commonly encountered odontogenic tumor in Nigeria. Surgical intervention is currently the method of treatment; however identification of altered molecular pathways may inform  chemotherapeutic potential. The Protein Patched homolog 1 (PTCH-1)is overexpressed in ameloblastoma. Also, mutation in the MDM2 gene can reduce the tumor suppressor function of p53 and promote ameloblastoma growth. No study however has characterized the molecular profile of African cases of ameloblastoma with a view to developing chemotherapeutic alternatives. The objective was to characterize the PTCH-1 genetic profile of Ameloblastoma in Nigerian patients as a first step in investigating its potential for chemotherapeutic intervention.Methods: Twenty-eight FFPE blocks of ameloblastoma cases from Nigerian patients were prepared for antibody processing to PTCH-1 (Polyclonal  Anti-PTCH antibody ab39266) and MDM2 (Monoclonal Anti-MDM2 antibody (2A10) ab16895). Cytoplasmic brown staining was considered as positive for PTCH while nuclear staining was positive for MDM2.Results: Moderate and strong expressions for PTCH in ameloblast and stellate reticulum were 78.6% and 60.7% respectively. Only 3 (10.7%) cases expressed MDM2.Conclusion: The importance of our study is that it supports, in theory, anti-PTCH/SHH chemotherapeutics for Nigerian ameloblastoma cases andalso infers the possible additional use of anti-p53 agents

Primary malignant oro-facial lesions: a review of cases in a tertiary institution in the Niger Delta

Background: Oro-facial malignancies are among major causes of morbidity and mortality the world over with varying incidence in different geographical locations.Aim: To review oro-facial malignancies seen at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) and to compare results with reports from other centres.Methods: All histologically diagnosed cancers of the oro-facial region seen at UPTH between 1st January 2008 and 31st December 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. Records of these patients were retrieved for age, gender, site of tumour occurrence, duration and the histological diagnosis. The data were analyzed with SPSS version 20 and summary statistics of frequency and central tendency were presented.Results: Malignant lesions constituted20.3% of biopsies received during the study period. The mean age of patients was 43.0 ± 20.6 years and gender distribution was 25 males to 19 females. Carcinomas occurred most, constituting 28 (63.6%) of the total, followed by sarcomas [10 (22.7%)] and lymphomas [6 (13.6%)]. Squamous cell carcinoma (43.0%) was the commonest of the carcinomas seen and rhabdomyosarcoma (40.0%) was the predominant sarcoma. All lymphomas were of the non-Hodgkin's type with Burkitt's lymphoma representing 50.0%. The mean age of occurrence of carcinomas was 52.5 ± 16.1 years, sarcomas 31.8 ± 13.4 years and lymphomas 17.7 ± 20.4 years.  Conclusion: Oro-facial cancers represented about a fifth of all histologically diagnosed lesions and affected males more. Carcinomas occurred most and patients above 40 years of age were mainly affected. Rhadomyosarcomas were the predominant sarcomas while all lymphomas were of the non-Hodgkin's type.Keywords: Head and neck cancer, Review, Niger Delt

Practice of standard precautions among community health officers in River State, Nigeria

No Abstract

Pattern of odontogenic tumours in Nigeria: a review of the literature

Objective: Odontogenic tumours are lesions derived from the epithelial and/ or mesenchymal remnants of the tooth-forming apparatus. Various authors from different centres in Nigeria have at different times reported their experiences of the prevalence, clinical presentation and management of odontogenic tumours, but no effort till date had been made to harmonise all these works with a view to showing the true pattern of these tumours among Nigerians as a whole. This is what the present review article sets out to achieve.Method: All articles published in Nigeria on odontogenic tumours from 1969 to date were reviewed. These articles were sourced from online stores using the PUBMED and HINARI. Manual search of the references in these articles was also done to identify additional relevant articles not listed in the above sites.Result: Ameloblastoma was found to be the most reported odontogenic tumour, and has been described as the most frequently occurring odontogenic tumour in Nigeria. Although malignant variants of odontogenic tumours were well recognized, they were less reported in Nigeria than in the rest of the world. Peak age of occurrence for odontogenic tumoursgenerally was between the 3rd and the 4th decades with variations in male to female ratio based on the type of odontogenic tumour. Mandible was found to be favoured more than maxilla as the common site of occurrence. Late presentation for treatment was a common phenomenon in all studies reviewed.Conclusion: Odontogenic tumours remain a very common orofacial tomour in Nigeria and the literature is replete about studies from Nigeria. While large number of epidemiological studies exists, little efforts have been focused on management of patients to including challenges of reconstructive surgery and optimum prosthetic rehabilitation for improved  outcome and quality of life.Key words: Odontogenic tumours, literature review, Nigeri

Immunohistochemical Expression of Vitamin-D Receptor in Oral and Skin Squamous Cell Carcinoma of a Black African Subpopulation

Objective: The nuclear vitamin D receptor (VDR) is involved in multiple pathways that have a role to play in the biology of cancer. Recent evidence indicates that the active form of vitamin D (1alpha, 25-dihydroxycholecalciferol) (VD) exhibits several anti-growth effects. Thus it is useful as an antineoplastic agent in several human malignancies. We aim to analyze the expression of VDR in skin and oral squamous cell carcinomas (skin SCC and OSCC) from a black African sub-population to determine potential for active VD therapy in such patients.Design: Nineteen formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) blocks of OSCC and 15 Skin SCC FFPE were prepared for Abcam Rabbit polyclonal Anti- Vitamin D Receptor antibody ChIP Grade (ab3508). Nuclear brown staining was considered as positive for VDR. The Sinicrope scoring method was used to evaluate the stained epithelial cells. All slides were viewed with a Nikon ECLIPSE 80i microscope and microphotographs recorded.Results: Among 15 moderately differentiated OSCC 7 (46.7%) showed moderate to strong positivity for VDR, while 8 were weak or negative for VDR. Among 10 well-differentiated SCC of the skin, 8 (80%) cases showed moderate to strong VDR positivity, while 2 cases showed weak expression. Overall, approximately the same number of OSCC (9 cases) and Skin SCC (10 cases) expressed moderate to strong positivity for VDR.Conclusion: In our study, we noted that the OSCC and skin SCC have similar number of cases expressing moderate to strong positive staining for VDR. Thus we suggest that the chemotherapeutic role already established for VD is of relevance in OSCC and skin SCC in black Africans