Immunohistochemical analysis and correlation of cyclooxygenase-2 expression status with clinicopathological parameters in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas: An Indian perspective.

CONTEXT: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) poses a major health problem and despite the advancements in its diagnosis and management the overall survival has not improved significantly. A search for newer diagnostic and prognostic markers along with fresh molecular targets is required for its prevention and cure. AIMS: The study aims to study the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in HNSCCs and investigate its correlation with the clinicopathological profile of these cases. This study was performed to determine the significance of COX-2 expression in the Indian context. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This study incorporated 90 cases of HNSCCs; both prospectively and retrospectively in a tertiary care center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Expression of COX-2 on immunohistochemistry (IHC) was evaluated in correlation with the histological grade, maximum tumor size, tumor depth, nodal status and lymphovascular/perineural invasion (lvi/pni). The study received a waiver from the institutional ethics committee. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Statistical analysis of the data was done using SPSS software. RESULTS: COX-2 expression was found in 97.8% of the cases. A statistically significant correlation of COX-2 immunopositivity was found with the histological grade, clinical staging (tumor size and nodal status), maximum tumor depth and lvi/pni in our study (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: COX-2 is expressed by most of the cases in this study. Its expression is related to tumor growth, differentiation and aggressiveness and therefore can be used as a good independent prognostic marker in HNSCCs. There is also possible scope of using it for targeted therapy in HNSCCs.

Mixed Phenotypic Acute Leukemia Presenting as Mediastinal Mass-2 Cases.

Mixed phenotype acute leukemia symbolizes a very small subset of acute leukemia that simply cannot be allocated as lymphoid or myeloid lineage. The 2008 World Health Organisation classification established stringent standard for diagnosis of mixed phenotype acute leukemia, accentuating myeloperoxidase for myeloid lineage, cytoplasmic CD3 for T lineage and CD19 with other B markers for B lineage obligation. Mixed phenotype leukemia is rare and 3-5 % of acute leukmias of all age groups, is associated with poor outcome with overall survival of 18 months. We wish to present two cases of mixed phenotypic acute leukemia who presented with mediastinal masses, were suspected to be T cell lymphoma/leukemia clinically and radiologically. In one case, tissue diagnosis was given as lymphoma for which treatment was given. These cases show that patients diagnosed as lymphoma on histopathology can be cases of mixed phenotype acute leukemia and varying specific treatment protocols and follow up are required. Awareness of these entities will help in proper diagnosis and treatment.

Study of associated genetic variants in Indian subjects reveals the basis of ethnicity related differences in susceptibility to venous thromboembolism.

The genetic variants linked with the susceptibility of individuals to VTE are well known; however, the studies explaining the ethnicity based difference in susceptibility to VTE are limited. Present study assesses mutations in six candidate genes contributing to the etiology of VTE in Indian subjects. The study comprised 93 VTE patients and 102 healthy controls. A PCR-RFLP based analysis was performed for nine mutations in the following genes associated with VTE: favtor V Leiden (FVL), prothrombin, tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI), fibrinogen-beta, plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), and methylene tetrahydrofolatereductase (MTHFR). All the subjects were found to be monomorphic for FVL 1691G/A, prothrombin 20210G/A and TFPI -536C/T mutations. The mutation in the MTHFR gene (677C/T) was observed only in patients. Contrarily, higher frequency of mutation in the PAI-1 -844G/A and the fibrinogen-ß -455G/A was observed in controls in comparison to the patients. This study suggests that the PAI-1 -844G/A and fibrinogen-ß -455G/A could be protective variants against VTE in Indians. While MTHFR 677C/T mutation was found to be associated, in contrast to other populations, the established genetic variants FVL 1691G/A, prothrombin 20210G/A, and TFPI -536C/T may not be associated with VTE in Indians thus revealing the basis of ethnicity related differences in susceptibility of Indians to VTE.