Etiology of oral cancer in the young patient: is tongue cancer becoming the other cancer in women?

BRG1 mediates epigenetic regulation of TNFα-induced CCL2 expression in oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma cells

Strong evidence has indicated that upregulation of chemokine (CC motif) ligand-2 (CCL2) expression and the presence of an inflammatory tumor microenvironment significantly contribute to the migratory and invasive properties of oral squamous cell carcinoma, specifically oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC). However, the precise epigenetic mechanism responsible for enhanced CCL2 expression in response to the inflammatory mediator tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in OTSCC remains inadequately elucidated. We have demonstrated that the production of CCL2 can be induced by TNF-α, and this induction is mediated by the chromatin remodel protein BRG1. Through the use of a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay, we have found that BRG1 was involved in the recruitment of acetylated histones H3 and H4 at the CCL2 promoter, thereby activating TNF-α-induced CCL2 transcription. Furthermore, we have observed that recruitment of NF-κB p65 to the CCL2 promoter was increased following BRG1 overexpression and decreased after BRG1 knockdown in OTSCC cells. Our Re-ChIP assay has shown that BRG1 knockdown completely inhibits the recruitment of both acetylated histone H3 or H4 and NF-κB to the CCL2 promoter. In summary, the findings of our study demonstrate that BRG1 plays a significant role in mediating the production of CCL2 in OTSCC cells in response to TNF-α stimulation. This process involves the cooperative action of acetylated histone and NF-κB recruitment to the CCL2 promoter site. Our data suggest that BRG1 serves as a critical epigenetic mediator in the regulation of TNF-α-induced CCL2 transcription in OTSCC cells.

Lymph Node Ratio as a Prognostic Factor for Oral Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Retrospective Study

Background Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) incidence and its mortality have increased recently. The oral part of the tongue is one of the commonest sites for OSCC. Apart from Tumour-Node-Metastasis (TNM) staging, lymph node ratio (LNR) has been implicated as one of the useful predictors for the better clinical outcome of the disease. The aim of the present study was to assess the LNR as a prognostic factor for patients having oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC). Materials and methods It is a retrospective study of 122 patients with OTSCC who were managed primarily by surgery with curative intent from January 2014 to December 2016. The mean lymph node ratio was measured and compared with various parameters of clinical outcome such as five-year overall survival (OS), five-year disease-free survival (DFS), locoregional failure (LRF) within three years, and distant metastasis (DM) within five years using Kruskal-Wallis Test followed by Mann-Whitney Post Hoc Test. The association of LNR with other tumor characteristic features like perineural invasion, extra-nodal extension (ENE), and histopathological grading was also elicited. Results The study population's mean age was 50.5 ± 11.77 years. Among them, 85 were males and 37 were females. On comparing the mean LNR value with patient status after primary treatment, the patients with minimal LNR value had statistically significant five-year OS and five-year DFS (p< 0.001). High mean LNR values were associated with other adverse features like perineural invasion and ENE, which were statistically significant (p<0.001). Receiver operator characteristics (ROC) curve analysis for the LNR parameter for determining the cut-off (0.02) between OS and DFS had 86% sensitivity and 40% specificity. Conclusion The LNR could be an important prognosis factor for OTSCC that helps in determining better clinical outcomes.

Features of the clinical course and prognosis of tongue cancer in young women

Introduction. In recent times, changes in epidemiology of tongue cancer have been observed. morbidity among nonsmoking and non-abusing alcohol young women have been rising. Currently, etiology and pathogenesis of tumor development in this nosological group are unclear and require detailed analysis of epidemiologic and clinical data.

Aim. To analyze the clinical material on the incidence of tongue cancer among young women (under 45 years old) over a 10-year period and assess the prevalence of this pathology in this group, the methods of treatment and reconstruction used, and determine the prognosis.

Materials and methods. The study included 68 female patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue who received treatment between 2010 and 2020. mean age was 36.8 years (between 18 and 45 years; median – 39 years). None of the patients had history of alcohol abuse or smoking. In 32 (47.1 %) patients, primary diagnosis was made at stages I–II, in 36 (52.9 %) at stages III–Iv.

Results. In the last 10 years, a trend towards increased morbidity of tongue cancer among young women have been observed. In 2010, 2 cases of the disease were detected, in 2019–13, in 2020–14. mean follow-up duration was 40 months (median 32 months). Overall 5-year survival in this period was 72.5 ± 6.5 %, recurrence-free 5-years survival was 66.5 ± 6.6 %. Conclusion. Increase on tongue cancer morbidity among young non-smoking women is a new epidemiological trend worldwide. Etiological and pathogenetic factors of this trend have not been studied and require large multicenter studies for obtaining statistically significant results. Early medical resource utilization in this social group allows to perform adequate surgical intervention but requires the head and neck tumor specialist to pay attention to reconstructive surgery, quality and early patient rehabilitation allowing to preserve high quality of life, capacity for work and social activity.

Tongue cancer in a patient with pulmonary tuberculosis. Case report

Tuberculosis and malignant neoplasms are a global threat, these diseases claim millions of lives and cause tremendous suffering to people worldwide. Tuberculosis can mask cancer and create preconditions for carcinogenesis. The article presents a clinical case of tongue cancer in a patient with pulmonary tuberculosis. Patient B.N., 45 years old, was admitted to the FSBI Novosibirsk Tuberculosis Research Institute with complaints of a "sore place" on the tongue, pain in the right half of the tongue, enlargement of the submandibular lymph nodes on the right The tongue hurts for about 1,5 years, but over the last 2 months, condition has worsened. The patient noticed an increase in the size of lesion on the tongue and increased pain, especially during meals (he can eat only after pain relief, for which he takes Nimesulide 4 pills a day). In recent days, he felt also epigastric pain for which he didnt visit a doctor. Tongue biopsy was performed, and histological analysis revealed cancer. The patient was diagnosed with fibrous-cavernous tuberculosis of the upper lobe of the right lung, infiltration and seeding phase; mycobacterium tuberculosis (+); broad drug resistance (HRSECmKmPasCsOfl); gastric ulcer (0,5 cm), exacerbation stage; chronic erosive gastritis, exacerbation stage; malignant neoplasm of the floor of the mouth on the right T3(4)N1M1. With this diagnosis, the patient was discharged for further treatment by oncologists. Physicians need to have a high alertness for cancer in patients with tuberculosis, especially those in the high-risk group. A minimum of standard diagnostic procedures will allow you to verify the diagnosis timely.

Clinicopathological and prognostic significance of PD-L1 in oral cancer: A preliminary retrospective immunohistochemistry study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the relation between PD-L1 expression in oral cavity squamous cell carcinomas and clinicopathological features as well as survival outcomes.

METHODS

A retrospective immunohistochemical study was carried out on 55 archived tumours from 55 patients. Tumours were stained for PD-L1 and scored by the proportion of tumour cells with positive membranous staining. PD-L1 scores were compared to the patient's clinicopathological characteristics for any significant associations. Kaplan-Meier curves were constructed for PD-L1 positive and negative tumours to investigate any advantage to survival.

RESULTS

Positive PD-L1 staining was found in 58% of tumours and was significantly more likely in non-smokers, non-drinkers and in tongue squamous cell carcinomas. Increased PD-L1 was also associated with increased lymphocyte infiltration as well as PD-L1 staining in lymphocytes and the epithelium adjacent to tumour invasion. No survival benefit was seen from PD-L1 expression in tumour cells.

CONCLUSIONS

PD-L1 expression is more common in non-smokers and non-drinkers, and its presence in the adjacent non-tumour epithelium suggests it may be involved in early oncogenesis.

Meta-analysis on risk factors of squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue in young adults

Tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) generally affects the older age group exposed to tobacco for an extended period. However, recent research points out that there is an increased incidence of TSCC in the younger age group without any traditional risk factors making TSCC as a distinct biological entity in this group. This study aims to assess the prevalence and risk factors of tongue carcinoma in the younger group of patients. This article included studies that addressed the TSCC involving young patients and that which are PubMed indexed. Initially, 390 articles were considered; but after refined evaluation, 123 articles had their titles and abstracts matching to this present work. After the extraction of the case reports, review articles and the articles without the assessment of the parameter of harmful habits, we have included only 23 articles in the sample matching the title. The statistical analysis was formed by using chi-square tests using IBM SPSS ver. 20.0. The cohort of the younger population in these studies was mostly in the 35- to the 45-year age group. The majority of reports (64%) classified the patients below 40 years of age as a young group. Though male predominance is reported to be 55%, female patients are also more affected (40%) in the younger age group compared with, the more typical and usual group of head and neck carcinoma patients. TSCC in older adults predominantly reported in tobacco users (70%) whereas in young adults, TSCC was associated with a higher incidence in nonsmokers (53%); the causes of these cancers in young adults remain unclear. The identification of the potential risk factors aside from traditional factors is vital to control the incidence of TSCC in young patients.

Sex disparities in cancer mortality and survival

BACKGROUND

Previous research has noted higher cancer mortality rates and lower survival among males than females. However, systematic comparisons of these two metrics by sex have been limited.

METHODS

We extracted U.S. vital rates and survival data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Database for 36 cancers by sex and age for the period 1977 to 2006. We compared sex-specific mortality rates and examined male-to-female mortality rate ratios (MRR). We also extracted case data which included age and date of diagnosis, sex, primary cancer site, tumor stage and grade, survival time, vital status, and cause of death. Relative cancer-specific HRs for death in the 5-year period following diagnosis were estimated with Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for covariates.

RESULTS

For the vast majority of cancers, age-adjusted mortality rates were higher among males than females with the highest male-to-female MRR for lip (5.51), larynx (5.37), hypopharynx (4.47), esophagus (4.08), and urinary bladder (3.36). Cancer-specific survival was, for most cancers, worse for males than females, but such disparities were drastically less than corresponding MRRs [e.g., lip (HR = 0.93), larynx (HR = 1.09), hypopharynx (HR = 0.98), esophagus (HR = 1.05), and urinary bladder (HR = 0.83)].

CONCLUSIONS

Male-to-female MRRs differed markedly while cancer survival disparities were much less pronounced. This suggests that sex-related cancer disparities are more strongly related to etiology than prognosis.

IMPACT

Future analytic studies should attempt to understand causes of observed sex disparities in cancer.

Oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma: recurrent disease is associated with histopathologic risk score and young age

PURPOSE

To apply the Brandwein-Gensler et al.'s histopathologic risk score (RS) system and to evaluate its impact on locoregional recurrence and overall survival in a series of cases of oral tongue cancer, along with variables of patient age and margin status.

METHODS

Sections of the resection specimens (N = 50) were submitted to a RS assignment of three components: the worst pattern of invasion, lymphocytic infiltration and perineural invasion. Risk scores of 0-2 were classified as low-to-intermediate and RSs > or = 3 were classified as high with respect to recurrence and survival. Margins were considered as "clean" if the tumor was > or = 5 mm away from them, otherwise they were defined as "positive". Patients < or = 60 years were considered "young" and those >60 years "old". Kaplan-Meier survival analysis with univariate and Cox multivariate regression model with stepwise forward selection tests were used.

RESULTS

Univariate analysis showed that locoregional recurrence was negatively influenced by high RSs (P = 0.011), "young" age (P = 0.027) and positive margins (P = 0.027). Multivariate analysis revealed that the risk of recurrence was increased by high RSs (hazard ratio 11.14; P = 0.022) and "young" age (hazard ratio 3.41; P = 0.022). "Young" patients with high RSs had a higher frequency of recurrence rate compared to "young" patients with low-to-intermediate scores (P = 0.008) and "old" patients with low-to-intermediate and high RSs (P = 0.012 and P = 0.011, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The histopathologic RS can serve to identify a subgroup of patients <60 years who have a high recurrence rate of oral tongue cancer, irrespective of the margin status.

Expression of annexin A1 mRNA in peripheral blood from oral squamous cell carcinoma patients

Several studies have been suggesting annexin A1 protein as an active player in tumorigenesis of many organs. Nevertheless, its tumor biomarker role has been mainly studied in tissues by immunohistochemistry or cell culture. Hence, in this investigation, the peripheral blood from 27 oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients and 25 negative control individuals were examined by quantitative real-time PCR. Down-regulated ANXA1 expression at mRNA level was observed in OSCC samples (p=0.026). Significantly diminished mRNA levels correlated to age, sex and the anatomical site of the tumor lesion were observed. Moreover, the ROC curve analysis revealed the performance of ANXA1 expression as a suitable biomarker for patients with oral cavity cancer, especially those with 60years of age or older and/or women. For the first time, ANXA1 mRNA is revealed as blood-based biomarker, and its adoption for complementary non-invasive diagnosis of OSCC is suggested. These results suggest that, beyond the anti-inflammatory function, annexin A1 may also play a tumor suppressor role in peripheral blood cells, such as leukocytes.