ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Recent studies have pointed towards a role of tumour-infiltrating neutrophils in cancer biology. Investigations on oral squamous cell carcinoma have indicated a possible association with clinical characteristics. This study aimed to evaluate neutrophil infiltration and the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio in the central areas and invasive front of oral squamous cell carcinomas at different T stages, and their association with clinicopathological features and patient outcome. METHODS: Clinical information was retrieved from the charts of patients who had undergone surgical treatment. Samples of the excised tumours were subjected to immunohistochemical analysis for CD66b and CD3. Semi-quantitative analysis was performed in the intratumoural region and in the invasive front. Appropriate statistical tests were used for evaluating the data, including Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and the log-rank test. A p value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: T3-T4 tumours presented higher CD66b infiltration in the intratumoural region and higher CD66b/CD3 ratios in the invasive front than T1-T2 lesions (p < 0.05). There was a strong inverse correlation between CD66b and CD3 in the invasive front of T3-T4 tumours (r = -0.712, p < 0.05). Comparisons of CD66b and the CD66b/CD3 ratio according to N status, tumour location, recurrence, inflammation grade, and histological grade did not reach statistical significance. Survival analysis also did not show any significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: The present study showed different degrees of neutrophil infiltration between T1-T2 and T3-T4 oral cancers, with higher indexes in the advanced lesions. However, there was no association with clinicopathological features or with time to recurrence.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/pathology , Mouth Neoplasms/pathology , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/pathology , Neutrophil Infiltration , Neutrophils/pathology , Aged , Antigens, CD/genetics , CD3 Complex/genetics , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/genetics , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/mortality , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/surgery , Cell Adhesion Molecules/genetics , Female , Follow-Up Studies , GPI-Linked Proteins/genetics , Gene Expression , Humans , Immunohistochemistry , Male , Middle Aged , Mouth Neoplasms/genetics , Mouth Neoplasms/mortality , Mouth Neoplasms/surgery , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/genetics , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/mortality , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/surgery , Neoplasm Staging , Neutrophils/metabolism , Prognosis , Survival AnalysisABSTRACT
Spontaneous remission is a rare, but well recognized event in oncology. Certain tumours, such as melanomas, hypernephromas and neuroblastomas, are known for showing spontaneous regression. Similarly, spontaneous regression of oral lymphomas, as well as oropharyngeal and recurrent tongue carcinomas, has been reported. Here, we present a novel case of a patient with a primary squamous cell carcinoma on the floor of the mouth whose tumour regressed spontaneously in three months, without any treatment. We also review of the literature on the spontaneous remission of oral cancer and discuss possible mechanisms for this phenomenon.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/pathology , Mouth Floor/pathology , Mouth Neoplasms/pathology , Neoplasm Regression, Spontaneous/pathology , Biopsy/methods , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Mouth Mucosa/pathology , Oral Ulcer/pathologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The goal of the present study was to investigate the course of ionized calcium after thyroidectomy and to define a cut-off value that indicates symptoms of hypocalcemia. METHODS: The sample included 333 patients undergoing thyroidectomy at the University Hospital of UFMG between September 2000 and December 2005. Ionized calcium was determined before and after surgery (days 1, 2, and 30) in all patients and on postoperative days 90 and 180 in those with hypocalcemia. Asymptomatic patients received no calcium replacement therapy, irrespective of calcium concentration. Patients with clinical manifestation of hypocalcemia were treated after laboratory confirmation. The presence or absence of postoperative hypocalcemia was associated with ionized calcium concentration measured on the reported days. RESULTS: Ionized calcium declined on the first two days after surgery in all patients when compared to preoperative levels (P = 0.000). Forty-seven (34.6%) of the 136 (40.8%) patients with postoperative hypocalcemia had symptoms. Patients with symptomatic hypocalcemia had significantly lower ionized calcium levels than those with asymptomatic hypocalcemia (P = 0.001). Fourteen (4.2%) patients progressed to definitive hypoparathyroidism by the end of 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Measurement of ionized calcium on postoperative days 1 and 2 is sufficient for the evaluation of post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia. Ionized calcium concentrations <1.03 mmol/l on postoperative day 1 are indicative of the presence of symptoms and the need for treatment.
