Impact of TLR9 and TLR7 gene polymorphisms on prognosis and survival of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Despite significant efforts in developing new diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) still exhibit a high recurrence rate, a low five-year survival rate, and an increasing prevalence. Toll-like receptors (TLRs), which initiate and perpetuate immune mechanisms upon activation, have been linked to immune surveillance and the antitumor immune response. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the polymorphisms of the TLR7 rs3853839 and TLR9 rs187084 genes and OSCC risk, clinicopathological features, and survival. Genotyping was assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 95 HPV negative OSCC patients and 107 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Patients with lymph node metastases had higher frequencies of the TLR9 rs187084 CC variant genotype compared to the major TT genotype (P = 0.020) and to T-allele carriers (combined TT + CT genotypes, P = 0.015). A higher prevalence of advanced stage III was observed in patients with the TLR9 rs187084 variant CC genotype compared to TT (P = 0.047) and to T-allele carriers (TT + CT, P = 0.037). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a lower overall survival (OS) rate in patients with the TLR9 rs187084 variant CC genotype compared to the TT genotype (P = 0.010, log-rank test) and to T-allele carriers (TT + CT genotypes, P = 0.002), though it was not an independent predictor of OS. Both TLR9 rs187084 and TLR7 rs3853839 polymorphisms were associated with high alcohol consumption (P = 0.027 and P = 0.001, respectively). The investigated genetic variations were not associated with OSCC susceptibility. The variant CC genotype of the TLR9 rs187084 polymorphism might be a marker of poor survival and tumor progression in OSCC.

Angiogenesis and eosinophilia in the nasal mucosa of patients with different clinical phenotypes of chronic rhinosinusitis.

INTRODUCTION: Dense inflammatory cell infiltration and vascularization of the nasal mucosa are histological characteristics of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). We aimed to evaluate the association between eosinophilia and vascularization in the stroma of mucosal layer/nasal polyps (NP) and clinical parameters in patients with different phenotypes of CRS. METHODOLOGY: This cross-sectional study involved 33 patients who had CRS with NP without aspirin sensitivity (CRSwNP), 20 NP patients as a part of aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD), and 10 patients who had CRS without NP (CRSsNP), selected for surgery. Control group consisted of 31 subjects without nasal/sinus inflammation, selected for surgery of pneumatized middle turbinate. All patients were clinically scored before surgery for nasal symptoms, quality of life (QoL) outcome and findings from computed tomography scans. NP/nasal mucosa samples of participants were immunohistochemically stained for eosinophil infiltration marker BMK13 and angiogenesis markers CD31 and CD34. RESULTS: AERD patients had the highest level of immunoexpression for BMK13. The strongest staining pattern of CD34 was found in AERD group and the highest expression level for CD31 in CRSwNP group. We found a positive correlation between BMK13, impaired QoL and radiologically evaluated disease extent in patients with CRSwNP. Excepting CRSsNP patients, no correlation was found between the marker of tissue eosinophilia and markers of vascular proliferation. CONCLUSIONS: Patients from AERD phenotype have the highest degree of stromal eosinophilic infiltration and endothelial proliferation in comparison to other CRS phenotypes. Eosininophil infiltration marker BMK13 correlates better with the clinical parameters of CRS in comparison to the vascular proliferation markers.

Effects of Fluticasone Furoate Nasal Spray on Parameters of Eosinophilic Inflammation in Patients With Nasal Polyposis and Perennial Allergic Rhinitis.

OBJECTIVES: Regulated on activation normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) and eotaxin-2 have been postulated to be responsible for eosinophilia in chronically inflamed nasal mucosa. This study evaluated mucosal production of RANTES and eotaxin-2 in patients with perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR) and nonallergic and allergic form of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) before and after nasal corticosteroid treatment. METHODS: Twenty patients with PAR, 20 nonallergic and 20 allergic CRSwNP patients, and 20 healthy controls were included. The RANTES and eotaxin-2 levels were measured in nasal secretion samples. The patients with chronic inflammation were treated with fluticasone furoate nasal spray for 2 weeks. Cytological examination and measurement of RANTES and eotaxin-2 in nasal fluid were performed before and after the treatment. RESULTS: The levels of RANTES were higher in patients with PAR ( P < .05) and nonallergic ( P < .01) and allergic CRSwNP patients ( P < .001) compared to controls. Eotaxin-2 levels were higher in all 3 inflammation groups compared to healthy subjects ( P < .001). After the treatment, we found a significant decrease of RANTES and eotaxin-2 concentrations ( P < .001) in all 3 groups of patients. CONCLUSION: The levels of RANTES and eotaxin-2 in nasal fluid could be reliable markers for assessing corticosteroid administration outcomes.

Huge Respiratory Epithelial Adenomatoid Hamartoma Originating from the Inferior Nasal Turbinate: A Case Report.

Respiratory epithelial adenomatoid hamartoma (REAH) is a recently described entity consisted of benign glandular proliferations lined by pseudostratified respiratory epithelium. We report a case of a 22-year-old male patient with 7-year history of nasal obstruction and headache resulting from a huge left-sided nasal lesion. Computed tomography, magnetic resonance and biopsy were performed to make a provisional diagnosis of REAH originating from the left-sided inferior turbinate. The definitive diagnosis of REAH was made by histopathological examination of the removed mass. We also discuss the origin and differential diagnosis of these rare lesions.

Clinical case report of a large antrochoanal polyp.

Antrochoanal polyps are benign lesions originating from the mucosa of the maxillary sinus. Nasal obstruction and rhinorrhea are their main symptoms. Their endoscopical and radiological appearance makes them relatively easy to diagnose. These polyps are usually presented unilaterally, although bilateral presentation is also possible. We described two cases of atypically giant antrochoanal polyps: in a 15-year-old child and in a 38-year-old man. In both cases, the diagnosis was done by nasal endoscopy and computed tomography (CT) of the paranasal sinuses and supported by histopathological analysis. In the first patient, the excised polyp had the histological characteristic of an angiomatous antrochoanal polyp. Because of their unusual dimension, the combined transoral and endonasal endoscopic approach was performed for complete polyp excision. We discussed the clinical, histopathological and immunohistochemical characteristics of choanal polyps in comparison to inflammatory nasal polyps, and the applicable surgical techniques for treatment of these polyps.

Eosinophilic inflammation in allergic rhinitis and nasal polyposis.

On histopathological examination, nasal polyps and nasal mucosa in allergic rhinitis show different forms of pseudostratified respiratory epithelium, whereas the dominant characteristic of lamina propria is an eosinophilic infiltration. The aim of this study was to compare interleukin (IL)-5 and eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) levels in the nasal fluid of 42 patients: 12 with allergic rhinitis and nasal septal deviation, 17 non-atopic patients with nasal polyposis, and 13 atopic nasal polyp patients were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Nasal secretion samples were collected a few days before surgery. The levels of IL-5 were measured using flow cytometry and the ECP using a commercial ELISA kit. In addition, we counted eosinophils in hematoxylin-and-eosin-stained sections of all nasal polyp and all nasal mucosa samples taken from the inferior nasal turbinates during septoplasty. A significantly higher concentration of IL-5 was found in the nasal fluid of atopic patients with nasal polyposis than in non-atopic nasal polyp patients (p=0.025) and patients with allergic rhinitis (p=0.05). ECP was higher in atopic nasal polyp patients than in patients with allergic rhinitis (p<0.0001) and than in non-atopic nasal polyp patients (p<0.0001). Polyp eosinophils were higher in atopic' than in non-atopic patients (p<0.0001) and higher than in the mucosa of patients with allergic rhinitis (p<0.0001). These however had significantly more mucosal eosinophils than was found in the polyps of non-atopic patients' (p=0.025). ECP levels in nasal fluid and eosinophil counts in tissue specimens correlated well in all three groups of patients. Our study has shown that atopic nasal polyp patients have a higher level of eosinophilic inflammation than non-atopic patients with nasal polyps and patients with allergic rhinitis.

A case of an unilateral tonsillar hypertrophy caused by actinomycosis.

The purpose of this report was to present an unusual case of an unilateral tonsillar hypertophy caused by actinomycosis. It is an infrequent bacterial infection nowadays. Only five such cases have been reported up to now. Diagnosis is difficult, because there are not specific diagnostic procedures. Medical treatment consists of surgical excision of tonsils and postoperative antibiotic therapy.

Proinflammatory cytokine levels in nasal fluid as indicators of severity of nasal polyposis.

The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate whether cytokine levels in nasal secretions may be clinical parameters of severity of nasal polyposis. Forty nasal polyp patients (20 asthmatic and 20 nonasthmatic) requiring surgical treatment were included. Nasal secretion samples were collected from nasal cavities of all 40 subjects. The levels of T-helper type 1 (Th1) proinflammatory cytokines IL-2, IL-12, IFN-gamma, IL-1beta, TNF-alpha and TNF-beta, Th2 cytokines IL-4, IL-5 and IL-6, antiinflammatory cytokine IL-10 and chemokine IL-8 were measured using flow cytometric method. Each of the 40 patients was staged clinically according to global nasal symptom score, endoscopic score, and Lund-Mackay computed tomography (CT) score. Eosinophils were counted in hematoxylin-eosin stained sections of all nasal polyp samples. The concentrations of Th2 proinflammatory cytokines IL-5 and IL-6 were significantly higher (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively) in patients with nasal polyposis and asthma compared with nasal polyp patients without asthma. Positive correlations were observed between IL-2 concentration in nasal secretions and nasal symptom score, endoscopic score, and Lund-Mackay score only in nasal polyp patients without asthma. We also found positive correlation between Lund-Mackay score and the levels of IL-8, IL-4, and IL-1beta in nonasthmatic patients. A positive correlation between IL-5 levels in nasal fluid and endoscopic score was found only in asthmatic patients. Eosinophil counts were higher in asthmatic patients' polyps compared with nonasthmatic ones, but without statistical significance. Nasal polyposis in asthmatic patients has different immunological patterns compared to those without asthma. The concentrations of cytokines measured in nasal fluid were not sensitive enough to be universal criteria to determine the severity of all forms of nasal polyposis.

Middle turbinate angiofibroma in an elderly woman.

BACKGROUND: Angiofibromas are histologically benign vascular tumors, originating from the nasopharynx, near by the area of sphenopalatine foramen. These neoplasms occur typically in male adolescents. Reports of primary extranasopharyngeal angiofibromas have appeared sporadically in the literature in English. We present the first case of an elderly woman with tumor arising from the middle turbinate, diagnosed as angiofibroma. CASE REPORT: A 63-year-old female presented with left-sided nasal obstruction and epistaxis. Endoscopic evaluation revealed a polypoid mass arising from the anteroinferior portion of the left middle turbinate. Computed tomography (CT) scan showed a soft-tissue opacity that filled the anterior part of the left nasal cavity. After the endoscopic excision of the mass, postoperative pathohistological and immunohistochemical analysis confirmed the diagnosis of an angiofibroma. Two years later, the patient was free of symptoms and without endoscopic evidence of recurrence. CONCLUSION: Extranasopharyngeal angiofibromas arising from the nasal cavity are extremely rare tumors. Immunohistochemical analysis is very important in all doubtful cases, especially in those with atypical location.

[Mucocoele of the maxillary sinus].

BACKGROUND: Mucocoele is histopathologically benign, cystic change of paranasal sinuses filled with mucoid contents, which with its growth is pressuring and destroying local bone walls. In only 3% of the cases it can be localized in maxillary sinuses. Etiology is unknown. Pyocoele develops by secondary infection. CASE REPORT: The male patient was 21 years old. His symptoms were runny nose with thick contents and heavy breathing on the right side of the nose, headaches, as well as the swelling of the right cheek. During clinical examination, the expansive change was found. It was completely closing the right side of the nose cavity. Computerized tomography (CT) of paranasal cavities showed excessive expansion of the right maxillary sinus, with very thinned walls, while the cavity was filled with liquid. After antibiotics therapy, the radical operation of the right maxillary sinus was performed, based on Caldwell Luc method. The frontal wall was found to be extremely convex and thinned, while the medial wall was with dehiscention. The cystic change was extirpated. Mucocoele was proved by pathohistologic findings. Its wall was about 2 mm thick and it showed squamous metaplasia in the large part of the mucocoela epithel. In the submucosa fibrosis and inflammatory infiltrate was present. Postoperative follow-up was under control. Clinicaly and radiographycaly, six months after therapy, the patient does not have troubles. CONCLUSION: The rare localization of the mucocoeles in maxillary sinus can be explained with the width of the maxillary ostia. Infected mucocoeles, expanded to the local anatomical structures, should be operated on with classic radical surgical operation.