[Radiation induced leiomyosarcoma. Review of literature and case report]

Post-irradiation sarcomas of head and neck appear seldom, and among them leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is exceptionally rare. 11 cases of this tumour, associated with previous irradiation and situated in this anatomical area have been described so far. The aim of this study was to describe 56 year-old patient with LMS and to compare this case with the others described in the literature. What brought our attention were scanty clinical symptoms coexisted with extensive radiological changes. Radiotherapy can give rise to the development of LMS in different moments of time after the treatment of primary tumor has been finished. In this aspect patients who undergone radiotherapy in the early stage of live and who are more susceptible to this kind of treatment should be followed up more closely and carefully.

Insulin-like growth factor-I receptor in human oral cancer

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the expression of IGF-IR in primary tumours and lymph node metastases of oral cancers and the correlation between expression of IGF-IR and some clinicopathological features. Fifty-seven (57) oral cancers were examined by immunohistochemical studies, using the avidin-biotin-peroxidase method. Our study included only oral cancers, classified histopathologically as squamous cell carcinoma (7 cases in G1 grade, 44 (G2) and 6 (G3); 23/pT1 stage, 18/pT2, 7/pT3 and 9/pT4). Positive immunostaining for IGF-IR was noted in 32, out of 57 (56.1%) of oral tumours. We found a tendency (p=0.081) toward an association between IGF-IR expression in the primary tumours and their stage (pT3 and pT4). A comparison between the primary tumours and matching lymph node metastases revealed that 13, out of 20, (65%) cases showed a convergence between primary tumours and matching lymph node metastases with regard to either negative or positive staining.

The role of Bak expression in apoptosis of the oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and metastases to lymph nodes (LNMs)

The immunohistochemical method was applied to show Bak expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma and its metastases to lymph nodes (LNMs). Bak expression was evaluated by immunohistochemical methods in specimens with oral squamous cell carcinomas and their lymph node metastases. Immunohistochemical studies were performed, using goat polyclonal Bak antibodies (Santa Cruz Biotechnology, USA) at 1:200 dilution. Our studies revealed over expression (64%) of Bak in the cytoplasm of epithelial cells in primary tumours (PTs) and in (75%) LNMs. No statistically significant correlations were observed between Bak immunoreactivity and age, pT and G of the carcinoma in PTs and LNMs. We conclude that expression of Bak may be useful for better characterising and predicting the prognosis of OSCC but cooperative studies are needed to assess its applications in the clinical practice.