Antivascular therapy of human follicular thyroid cancer experimental bone metastasis by blockade of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor and Vascular Growth Factor Receptor phosphorylation

Patients suffering from bone metastases of Follicular Thyroid Carcinoma (FTC) have a poor prognosis because of the lack of effective treatment strategies. The overexpression of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) associated with increased vascularity has been implicated in the pathogenesis of FTC and subsequent bone metastases. We hypothesized that inhibiting the phosphorylation of the EGFR and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor (VEGFR) by AEE788, a dual tyrosine kinase inhibitor of EGFR and VEGFR, in combination with paclitaxel would inhibit experimental FTC bone lesions and preserve bone structure. We tested this hypothesis using the human WRO FTC cell line. In culture, AEE788 inhibited the EGF-mediated phosphorylation of EGFR, VEGFR2, mitogen-activated protein kinase and Akt in culture. AEE788, alone and in combination with paclitaxel, inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis. When WRO cells were injected into the tibia of nude mice, tumor and endothelial cells within the lesions expressed phosphorylated EGFR, VEGFR, Akt and mitogen-activated protein kinase that were inhibited by the oral administration of AEE788. Therapy consisting of orally given AEE788 and i.p. injected paclitaxel induced a high level of apoptosis in tumor-associated endothelial cells and tumor cells with the inhibition of tumor growth in the bone and the preservation of bone structure. Collectively, these data show that blocking the phosphorylation of EGFR and VEGFR with AEE788 combined with paclitaxel can significantly inhibit experimental human FTC in the bone of nude mice

Value of thallium-201 scintigraphy for primary tumour detection in patients with malignant neck masses

The aim of this study was to assess the contribution of thallium-201 scintigraphy to primary tumour detection in patients with malignant neck masses and to evaluate its sensitivity and specificity. A total of 30 patients with histopathologically proven malignant tumours were included in the study. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of Tl-201 scintigraphy were found to be 54%, 75% and 57% respectively. These results suggest that Tl-201 scintigraphy has a limited value in the detection of the primary tumour in patients with malignant masses of the neck

Brown tumor of the maxilla associated with primary hyperparathyroidism

Brown tumors represent the terminal stage of the remodeling processes during primary or secondary hyperparathyroidism. During the last three decades primary hyperparathyroidism has been recognized much more commonly and the increase has generally been attributed to the routine determination of calcium by new automated methods and the advent of new and more objective parathyroid hormone radioimmunoassay techniques. Early diagnosis and successful treatment of the disease have made clinical evidence of bone disease uncommon. While, the mandible is the most frequently involved bone in the head and neck region, maxillary involvement is extremely rare. A case of brown tumor on the maxilla associated with primary hyperparathyroidism is reported. This patient presented multiple skeletal lesions, which are uncommonly seen nowadays. The diagnosis was suggested by the clinical history and confirmed by biochemical, radiological and histopathological determinations. Excision of a parathyroid adenoma normalized the metabolic status. Excision of the maxillary mass led both histo pathological confirmation of the disease and early masticator rehabilitation. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved

Tl-201 imaging for differentiating between malignant and benign neck masses

The aim of this study was to assess the ability of Tl-201 scintigraphy to differentiate between malignant and benign neck masses. Fifty-eight patients with neck masses, whose diagnoses were confirmed by histological examination, were examined. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of Tl-201 scintigraphy were 80%, 96% and 88% respectively; when salivary gland masses were excluded, these values were 87%, 95% and 91% respectively. Our results suggest that Tl-201 scintigraphy is highly reliable in determining the malignancy of neck masses, especially when salivary gland masses are excluded. ((C) 1998 Lippincott-Raven Publishers)

Total lymphocyte and T lymphocyte subpopulation levels in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas

This study was performed on 72 patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Total lymphocyte, natural killer cell and total lymphocyte subpopulation levels in peripheral blood were determined and the correlation of these levels with TNM and Histopathologic Malignancy Grading (HMG) systems were investigated. TNM and HMG systems, which are two important prognostic indicators, were significantly correlated whereas total lymphocyte, natural killer cell and total lymphocyte subpopulation levels in peripheral blood had no correlation with TNM and HMG scores

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the nasal cavity: a case report and review of the literature

Our aim is to describe clinicopathological, histochemical, and immunohistochemical findings of one case of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the nasal cavity. A 10-year-old female presented with a short history of nasal obstruction, epistaxis, nasal discharge and headache. Computerized tomography (CT) scans showed a space-occupying lesion in the right nasal cavity. Histological examination of initial biopsy showed fascicles of spindle cells in a mixed inflammatory background with a predominance of plasma cells, typical of inflammatory pseudotumor. The spindle cells were positive for vimentin and actin. The mass was completely excised without any difficulty under generalized anesthesia. Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the nasal cavity is a localized and completely benign lesion. Simple complete excision is curative. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd

Alveolar soft part sarcoma: report of a case occurring in the sinonasal region

A primary alveolar soft part sarcoma arising in the nasal-paranasal sinuses region is quite rare. In this report, a 14-year-old boy with typical features of alveolar soft part sarcoma of the nasal and paranasal sinuses is presented. Treatment was surgical excision of the mass combined with radiotherapy. There has been no recurrence or metastasis as of 2 years after treatment. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved

Blockade of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor and epidermal growth factor receptor signaling by the dual tyrosine kinase inhibitor AEE788 and paclitaxel as therapy for human follicular thyroid cancer bone metastasis in nude mice

Patients suffering from bone metastases of Follicular Thyroid Carcinoma (FTC) have a poor prognosis because of the lack of effective treatment strategies. The overexpression of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) associated with increased vascularity has been implicated in the pathogenesis of FTC and subsequent bone metastases. We hypothesized that inhibiting the phosphorylation of the EGFR and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor (VEGFR) by AEE788, a dual tyrosine kinase inhibitor of EGFR and VEGFR, in combination with paclitaxel would inhibit experimental FTC bone lesions and preserve bone structure. We tested this hypothesis in the human WRO FTC cell line. In culture, AEE788 inhibited the EGF-mediated phosphorylation of EGFR, VEGFR, Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) and AKT in WRO cells. AEE788, alone and in combination with paclitaxel, inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis in the tumor cells. After WRO cells were injected into the tibia of nude mice, WRO tumors and endothelial cells within these lesions expressed phosphorylated EGFR, VEGFR, AKT and MAPK that could be inhibited by the oral administration of AEE788. Therapy consisting of orally administered AEE788 and intraperitoneally injected paclitaxel induced a high level of apoptosis in tumor vascular endothelial cells and tumor cells that correlated with the inhibition of tumor growth in the bone and the preservation of bone structure. Collectively, these data showed that blocking the phosphorylation of EGFR and VEGFR with AEE788 in combination with administering paclitaxel can significantly inhibit experimental human FTC bone metastasis