Does the presence of sentinel lymph node macrometastases in breast cancer patients require axillary lymph node dissection?-Single-center analysis.

According to the current guidelines on treatment of breast cancer patients, identification of metastases in the sentinel lymph node (SLN (+)) is not an absolute indication for necessary axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). In our study, we present long-term outcomes of treatment among SLN(+) patients referred for conservative treatment, for example, no further ALND. A total of 3145 breast cancer patients subjected to sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) between November 2008 and June 2015. SLN metastases were identified in 719 patients (22.9%). Locoregional recurrences and distant metastases as endpoints were distinquished. The mean follow-up time for patients after ALND was 36.2 months (6-74 months); 18.8 months (6-38 months) for patients with SLN macrometastases without ALND; and 34.0 months (6-74 months) for patients with micrometastases. Adjuvant ALND was performed in 626 of SLN(+) patients. Conservative treatment was applied in the remaining 93 cases. Among SLN(+) patients without adjuvant ALND, there was one case of recurrence (1.07%). In the group of patients without SLN, metastases recurrence was noted in 32 patients (1.32%). Among SLN(+) patients diagnosed with macrometastases, recurrence concerned 2.01% of analyzed cases (all subjected to ALND). Lack of radical surgical treatment in SLN(+) breast cancer patients did not lead to worsening long-term outcomes. In the occurrence of macrometastases to the sentinel lymph node, abandoning completion axillary lymph node dissection might be a reasonable option. However, it would require continuation of current research, preferably involving a clinical trial.

TC2 C776G polymorphism studies in patients with oral cancer in the Polish population.

The first signs of oral cancer may resemble developing infections in the mucous membranes, with throat cancer symptoms being similar to those of upper respiratory tract infections. This greatly hinders rapid diagnosis and treatment. Better knowledge of the changes occurring in the metabolism of folic acid can help in understanding the carcinogenesis affecting DNA methylation and genome stability. Polymorphisms in genes encoding enzymes involved in this pathway may influence enzyme activity and thereby interfere with the concentrations of homocysteine and S-adenosylmethionine, which are important for DNA synthesis and cellular methylation reactions. The aim of the study was to determine the risk of oral cancer associated with the TC2 C776G polymorphism, as determined in 119 patients. Genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). The test genotype was found to correspond to the Hardy-Weinberg (HW) equilibrium (p > 0.05). In our population G/G homozygosity of C776G TC2 gene polymorphism increases the risk of oral cancer; OR (odds ratio): 4.3875; 95% CI (confidence interval): 2.0518-9.319; p = 0.001. Regarding C/G genotype of the C776G TC2 gene, polymorphism also increases the risk of developing this cancer; OR 2.4146 95% CI: 1.2803-4.5541; p = 0.01.

Effect of copper(II) the activity of glutathione peroxidase in patients with head and neck cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) accounts for about 6% of all malignant cancers. In the epidemiology of oral cavity neoplasm, important risk factors include: tobacco smoking, alcohol abuse, bad oral hygiene, papilloma virus infection, riboflavin and iron deficiency. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the investigation was a synthesis of Cu(II) complex and the evaluation of antioxidative enzymatic barrier in red blood cells of patients with head and neck tumor as well as in the control group. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For the investigation conduction, a consent of Bioethics Committee number RNN/142/09/KB was obtained. Blood for the examination was obtained from the patients of the Dapartment of Head and Neck Neoplasms Surgery Medical University of Lódz. The experiment was conducted on the group of 40 patients with HNSCC and 40 healthy people, using spectrophotometric method, glutathione peroxidase was marked. RESULTS: The investigation was conducted on the hemolysate obtained from the patients that were divided into two groups - a study group (1 and 2), which consisted of patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer and a control group (1 and 2) - healthy people. A significant statistical result for GPX occurred in control-1 and study-1 group with complex compound Cu(II) (p<0,001). CONCLUSIONS: Presented research prove, that complex compound Cis-dichlorobis(N1-hydroxymethyl-3methylpyrazole-κN2)copper (II) has an impact on the activity of the antioxidative GPX enzyme.

Immune checkpoints: Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 and programmed cell death protein 1 in breast cancer surgery.

Immune checkpoints refer to a plethora of inhibitory pathways built into the immune system, and recent studies have emphasized the role of these checkpoints in carcinogenesis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate two major immune checkpoints, the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), in the serum of 35 patients with stage I and II breast cancer. Serum concentrations of CTLA-4 and PD-1 were measured at three time points: i) Preoperatively; ii) during anesthesia following the harvesting of sentinel nodes (SNs); and iii) 24 h postoperatively. Control samples were obtained from 25 healthy, age-matched females. Assessment of CTLA-4 and PD-1 expression levels was conducted using flow cytometry. A statistically significant difference in PD-1 expression was identified between breast cancer patients preoperatively and healthy controls (26.31±11.87 vs. 12.72±8.15; P<0.0001). In addition, a statistically significant association was found between CTLA-4 and PD-1 levels prior to surgery (P=0.0084). In addition, CTLA-4 expression was associated with age (P=0.0453), with elevated levels of CTLA-4 detected in older breast cancer patients. Higher PD-1 expression levels were observed in T2 tumors compared with T1 tumors prior to surgery and intraoperatively; however, the differences were not statistically significant. Furthermore, a decrease in PD-1 levels was observed subsequent to harvesting SNs with metastasis, but not in SN-negative patients (P=0.05). A negative correlation was also observed between PD-1 expression and progesterone receptor (PR) status following surgery (P=0.024). These results provided a basis for further investigation of immune checkpoints in breast cancer. Breast cancer patients exhibit an altered profile of immune checkpoint markers, with higher concentrations of PD-1 observed in larger, PR-negative tumors.

Label-free determination of lipid composition and secondary protein structure of human salivary noncancerous and cancerous tissues by Raman microspectroscopy.

The applications of optical spectroscopic methods in cancer detection open new possibilities in oncological diagnostics. Raman spectroscopy and Raman imaging represent noninvasive, label-free, and rapidly developing tools in cancer diagnosis. In the study described in this paper Raman microspectroscopy has been employed to examine noncancerous and cancerous human salivary gland tissues of the same patient. The most significant differences between noncancerous and cancerous tissues were found in regions typical for the vibrations of lipids and proteins. The detailed analysis of secondary structures of proteins contained in the cancerous and the noncancerous tissues is also presented.

The -5 A/G single-nucleotide polymorphism in the core promoter region of MT2A and its effect on allele-specific gene expression and Cd, Zn and Cu levels in laryngeal cancer.

Metallothioneins (MTs) are low molecular weight, cysteine-rich heavy metal-binding proteins which participate in the mechanisms of Zn homeostasis, and protect against toxic metals. MTs contain metal-thiolate cluster groups and suppress metal toxicity by binding to them. The aim of this study was to determine the -5 A/G (rs28366003) single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the core promoter region of the MT2A gene and to investigate its effect on allele-specific gene expression and Cd, Zn and Cu content in squamous cell laryngeal cancer (SCC) and non-cancerous laryngeal mucosa (NCM) as a control. The MT2A promoter region -5 A/G SNP was determined by restriction fragment length polymorphism using 323 SCC and 116 NCM. MT2A gene analysis was performed by quantitative real-time PCR. The frequency of A allele carriage was 94.2% and 91.8% in SCC and NCM, respectively, while G allele carriage was detected in 5.8% and 8.2% of SCC and NCM samples, respectively. As a result, a significant association was identified between the -5 A/G SNP in the MT2A gene with mRNA expression in both groups. Metal levels were analyzed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The significant differences were identified between A/A and both the A/G and G/G genotypes, with regard to the concentration of the contaminating metal. The Spearman rank correlation results showed that the MT2A expression and Cd, Zn, Cu levels were negatively correlated. Results obtained in this study suggest that -5 A/G SNP in MT2A gene may have an effect on allele-specific gene expression and accumulation of metal levels in laryngeal cancer.

The cellular environment of cancerous human tissue. Interfacial and dangling water as a "hydration fingerprint".

Despite a large number of publications, the role of water in the cellular environment of biological tissue has not been clarified. Characterizing the biological interface is a key challenge in understanding the interactions of water in the tissue. Although we often assume that the properties of the bulk water can be translated to the crowded biological environment, this approach must be considerably revised when considering the biological interface. To our knowledge, few studies have directly monitored the interactions and accumulation of water in the restricted environments of the biological tissue upon realistic crowding conditions. The present study focuses on a molecular picture of water molecules at the biological interface, or specifically, water molecules adjacent to the hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces of normal and cancerous tissues. We recorded and analyzed the IR and Raman spectra of the νs(OH) stretching modes of water at the biological interfaces of the human breast and neck tissues. The results revealed dramatic changes in the water content in the tissue and are potentially relevant to both the fundamental problems of interfacial water modeling and the molecular diagnostics of cancer as a 'hydration fingerprint'. Herein, we will discuss the origin of the vibrational substructures observed for the νs(OH) stretching modes of water, showing that the interfacial water interacting via H-bond with other water molecules and biomolecules at the biological surface and free OH vibration of the dangling water are sensitive indicators of the pathology between the normal (noncancerous) and cancerous tissue and cancer types.

Association of microRNA-93, 190, 200b and receptor status in core biopsies from stage III breast cancer patients.

Oncologists now favor more personalized treatment strategies in breast cancer patients. Gene expression analysis has been widely used, but less is known about epigenetic factors, for example, microRNAs (miRNAs). The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between selected miRNAs and receptor status in core biopsies sampled before preoperative chemotherapy in stage III locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) patients. In 37 LABC core biopsies, three miRNAs per sample were analyzed: hsa-miR-93-5p, hsa-miR-190a, and hsa-miR-200b-3p, and hsa-miR-103a-3p as an endogenous control (TaqMan(®) RT-PCR; Applied Biosystems). Receptor status was determined by a dedicated pathologist. The Mann-Whitney U, Shapiro-Wilk, and Levene's tests were used to compare related samples. Levels of miRNA-93 differed significantly in core biopsies of LABC patients with different expressions of ER (estrogen receptor) and PR (progesterone receptor). Higher levels of miRNA-93 were found in ER-negative (p=0.0027) and PR-negative patients (p=0.0185). Levels of miRNA-190 and 200b did not differ significantly in core biopsies of LABC patients who expressed ER and PR differently (p=0.7727, p=0.9434, p=0.6213, and p=0.1717). Levels of miRNA-93, 190, and 200b were not significantly different in core biopsies of LABC patients with different HER2 (human epidermal growth factor 2) expressions (p=0.8013, p=0.2609, and p=0.3222). The assessment of core biopsy miRNA profiles and receptor-based subtypes may identify new signaling pathways for improved breast cancer classification.

Atypical lipomatous tumor of the cheek - a case report.

Liposarcoma is the most common soft tissue malignant tumor. It mostly arises in the subcutaneous tissue of shoulders, limbs and neck, and retroperitoneal space, but head occurrence is very rare. Atypical lipomatous tumor (ALT) is a well-differentiated liposarcoma (WDLPS) and constitutes 40-45% of all liposarcoma cases. A case of 57-year-old woman with a tumor of the left cheek, causing a discreet face asymmetry is presented. The tumor was soft and caused no tenderness. The patient reported no previous injury of the region. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) revealed atypical cells suspected of liposarcoma. MR examination showed fascicles of adipose tissue, which made the left cheek prominent. The patient was operated under general anaesthesia. Adipose tissue of the left cheek was removed. Postoperative course was uneventful. The final histopathological diagnosis - was atypical lipomatous tumor/well-differentiated liposarcoma (ALT/WDLPS). The patient remains under laryngological care. No recurrence of the disease has been observed during the 5 years follow-up.

[Causes and indwelling times of multiple voice prosthesis replacements in patients after total laryngectomy--analysis of 184 replacements in 42 patients]. / Przyczyny i czas pomiedzy kolejnymi wymianami protez glosowych u chorych po laryngektomii--analiza 184 wymian u 42 chorych.

INTRODUCTION: Implantation of the indwelling voice prosthesis has become the preferred method of voice rehabilitation after total laryngectomy. Frequent prosthesis dysfunction remains the major problem. AIM: Analysis of the indwelling time and indications for multiple voice prosthesis replacements. METHODS: Forty two patients after total laryngectomy due to laryngeal cancer (6 women and 36 men, mean age 62.1 ± 6.7 years) were included. 184 voice prosthesis replacements were analyzed (1271 patient-months). RESULTS: Mean time between replacements was 260 ± 150 days. The indwelling time decreased from 267 days to the first replacement to 100-160 days at eighth and subsequent exchanges (p < 0.01). Most frequent indications for replacement were leakage of fluids through the prosthesis, phonation problems caused by mucosal overgrowth around the prosthesis, inaccurate sizing, deformation, and spontaneous extrusion. The lifetime of voice prostheses was positively correlated with patients' age. Mycological culture of the smear taken from tracheoesophageal fistula at first replacement was positive in 34/41 cases, at the second in 29/31 cases, the third in 29/31, and at the fourth and subsequent replacements in all specimens. Most patients indicated the following factors as possible causes of a shortened lifetime of the prosthesis: use of alcohol and coffee (34% of responders), inappropriate dietary habits (sweets and tough foodstuff - 17%), cleaning of voice prosthesis discordant with the recommendations of the manufacturer (14%). CONCLUSIONS: Although our results confirm common indications for voice prosthesis replacement we also showed that the time between exchanges is gradually getting shorter. This observation could have implications for the current reimbursement practices.

Polymorphism of the DNA repair genes RAD51 and XRCC2 in smoking- and drinking-related laryngeal cancer in a Polish population.

INTRODUCTION: Cigarette smoke and alcohol can generate reactive oxygen species, which may induce DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), the most serious DNA lesion. In humans, DSBs are repaired mainly by non-homologous end joining and homologous recombination repair (HRR). Several polymorphisms in the DNA repair gene have been extensively studied in the association with various human cancers. In the present work we investigated the association between polymorphisms of two HRR genes, XRCC2 and RAD51, and tobacco- and alcohol-related larynx cancer in a Polish population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two polymorphisms of the XRCC2 gene, -41657C > T (rs718282) and 31479G > A (rs3218536), as well as one polymorphism of the RAD51 gene, -135G > C (rs1801320), were investigated by PCR-RFLP in 253 patients with larynx cancer and 253 age- and sex-matched non-cancer controls. RESULTS: Analysis of the gene-smoking and -drinking interactions revealed a weak association between larynx cancer and the -41657C > T polymorphisms of the XRCC2 gene among the moderate alcohol drinkers. The C allele of the -135G > C polymorphism of RAD51 increased cancer risk in the smoker group. Increased risk was also found for heavy drinkers. Additionally, there were no significant differences between distributions of genotypes in subgroups assigned to different TNM stages and grades. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated that the -135G > C polymorphism of the RAD51 gene may be associated with smoking- and drinking-related larynx cancer in Poland.

Difficulties associated with the diagnosis of mycosis of the oral cavity and throat in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

Cases of fungal infections are being encountered more often in clinical practice. The factors associated with a high risk of mycoses include, among others, corticosteroidotherapy, the administration antibiotics with wide spectrum of antibacterial properties, neutropenia, neoplasms. Fungi may play a role in cancer formation, may act as a complication in the course of treatment, and may mimic a neoplastic process by giving a similar clinical picture. In the case of fungal throat infection, patients complain of increased body temperature, a general feeling of weakness, malaise, headache, spontaneous pain intensifying during swallowing, a feeling of an obstacle in the throat or a cough. A physical examination may reveal congestion of the mucosa followed by a unilateral crater ulceration often covered with fat, as well as a thick coating, which is accompanied by foetor ex ore. The submandibular and neck lymph nodes are often greatly enlarged and painful. These symptoms may resemble those associated with the neoplastic process and changes in the course of systemic diseases (agranulocytosis). A correct diagnosis in these cases is necessary for adequate therapy. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common type of leukemia among adults in Europe and North America. It is estimated that in Poland, CLL affects approximately 1,400 people per year. In this paper, a case of 62-years old patient with CLL with fungal infection of oral cavity and throat is presented.

Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of capecitabine in head and neck cancer and normal cells.

The interaction between a chemical and a cell may strongly depend on whether this cell is normal or pathological. Side effects of anticancer drugs may sometimes overcome their benefit action, so it is important to investigate their effect in both the target and normal cells. Capecitabine (Xeloda, CAP), a prodrug of 5-fluorouracil, is mainly used in colon cancer, but little is known about its action in head and neck cancer. We compared the cyto- and genotoxicity of CAP in head and neck HTB-43 cells and normal human lymphocytes by comet assay and flow cytometry. CAP at concentration up to 50 µM significantly decreased the viability of the cancer cells, whereas it did not affect normal lymphocytes. The drug did not interact with isolated plasmid DNA, but it damaged DNA in both cancer and normal cells. However, the extent of the damage in the former was much higher than in the latter. CAP induced apoptosis in the cancer cells, but not in normal lymphocytes. Pre-treatment of the cells with the nitrone spin traps α-(4-pyridil-1-oxide)-N-tert-butylnitrone and N-tert-butyl-α-phenylnitrone decreased the extent of CAP induced DNA damage, suggesting that free radicals may be involved in the formation of DNA lesions induced by CAP. The drug evoked an increase in the G0/G1 cell population accompanied by a decrease in the S cell population. CAP may evoke a pronounced cyto- and genotoxic effects in head and neck cancer cells, whereas it may or may not induce such effects in normal cells to far lesser extent.

MUTYH Tyr165Cys, OGG1 Ser326Cys and XPD Lys751Gln polymorphisms and head neck cancer susceptibility: a case control study.

In the present study we investigated the association between three polymorphisms of the MUTYH (Tyr165Cys, rs34612342), the OGG1 (Ser326Cys, rs1052133) and the XPD (Lys751Gln, rs13181) genes with head and neck cancer risk. Genotypes were determined in DNA from peripheral blood lymphocytes of 265 patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) as well as 280 cancer-free controls by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphisms. We found an association between HNSCC and the Ser326Cys (OR 1.69; 95% CI 1.19-2.45) as well as Cys326Cys (OR 4.56; 95% CI 2.07-10.05) variants of the OGG1 gene. The gene-gene interaction between MUTYH and OGG1 as well as OGG1 and XPD polymorphic variants may contribute to higher prevalence of HNSCC. We also found an association between Ser326Cys and Cys326Cys variants of OGG1 gene and smoking status in HNSCC patients (OR 1.97; 95% CI 1.25-3.11), (OR 3.54; 95% CI 1.39-9.04), respectively. Moreover, we also observed a protective association between Tyr165Cys variant of the MUTYH gene and non-smoking status in HNSCC (OR 0.34; 95% CI 0.17-0.66). We also found a link between gene-gene interaction (MUTYH and OGG1 or OGG1 and XPD) and smoking (ORs 2.17-4.20 and 2.18-5.23) or non-smoking status (ORs 0.11 and 7.61) in HNSCC patients, respectively. In conclusion our data showed that the Ser326Cys polymorphism of the OGG1 gene may modify the risk of HNSCC associated with smoking. Finally we suggested that this polymorphism might be used as predictive factor for head and neck cancer in Polish population.

Polymorphisms of the XRCC3 C722T and the RAD51 G135C genes and the risk of head and neck cancer in a Polish population.

Genetic variations in DNA repair genes may affect an individual's susceptibility to head and neck cancer. We performed a case-control study to test the association between head and neck cancer risk and two polymorphisms: the C722T of the XRCC3 and the G135C of the RAD51-genes of DNA double strand break (DSB) repair by homologous recombination (HRR). Genotypes were determined by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). DNA was isolated from peripheral blood lymphocytes of a group of 288 patients consisting of 97 subjects with precancerous hyperplastic laryngeal lesions (PHLL) and 191 subjects with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) as well as 353 healthy control donors. We found an association between PHLL and the 722CT (OR 6.67; 95% CI 3.02-14.74) as well as 722TT (OR 4.65; 95% CI 2.30-9.43) variants of the XRCC3 gene. Similar relation was observed between these genotypes and HNSCC (OR 2.59; 95% CI 1.61-4.16 and OR 5.54; 95% CI 3.22-9.52, respectively). Moreover, we also observed an association between PHLL (OR 6.04; 95% CI 3.69-9.90) and HNSCC (OR 6.04; 95% CI 3.69-9.90) and the 135GC variant of the RAD51 gene. The gene-gene interaction between XRCC3 and RAD51 polymorphic variants may contribute to higher prevalence of PHLL. The increased risk of this disease was observed in case of the combination of the 722CT/135GC (OR 3.81; 95% CI 1.55-9.75) as well as the 722TT/135GC genotypes (OR 5.33; 95% CI 1.96-14.47). The presence of the same genes combinations plays a part in higher probability of HNSCC occurrence (OR 2.42; 95% CI 1.22-4.79 for 722CT/135GC and OR 3.63; 95% CI 1.69-7.76 for 722TT/135GC). We also found an association between these XRCC3 or RAD51 polymorphic variants and smoking status in PHLL (ORs 2.85-10.28 and 1.82-7.35, respectively) and HNSCC patients (ORs 2.94-13.93 and 1.36-3.94, respectively) as well as alcohol intake among PHLL (ORs 3.44-6.12 and 3.52-8.43, respectively) and HNSCC subjects (ORs 2.71-7.01 and 2.33-4.62, respectively). In conclusion our data showed that the C722T and the G135C polymorphisms of the XRCC3 and the RAD51 genes might be associated with HNSCC. Finally we suggested that these polymorphisms might be used as predictive factor of precancerous lesion for head and neck cancer in a Polish population.

The Cys326 allele of the 8-oxoguanine DNA N-glycosylase 1 gene as a risk factor in smoking- and drinking-associated larynx cancer.

Tobacco smoke-related products and ethanol would induce oxidative modifications to the DNA bases, thereby contributing to larynx cancer. Human 8-oxoguanine DNA N-glycosylase 1 (hOGG1) deals with oxidative DNA damage, and the base changes in the hOGG1 gene may alter the susceptibility of the human cells to tobacco smoke-related compounds and/or ethanol. In the present work, we investigated the association between smoking, drinking or the Ser326Cys polymorphism of the hOGG1 gene and the risk of larynx cancer in a Polish population. It has been reported that the Ser326 allele exhibits higher activity than the Cys326 variant. In this study, 253 age-matched controls and 253 patients with larynx cancer were enrolled. The polymorphism was determined with DNA from blood lymphocytes by polymerase chain reaction. The frequencies (%) of the genotypes were Ser/Ser 65.6, Ser/Cys 30.4, and Cys/Cys 4.0 in the controls and those in patients were 55.7, 36.0 and 8.3, respectively. Stratification of individuals according to their smoking and drinking habits indicated that these habits might be significant risk factors in larynx cancer. The Ser/Cys and Cys/Cys genotypes are significantly associated with the increased risk of larynx cancer. These genotypes increased the risk ratio of larynx cancer among heavy smokers, but did not change the risk in former smokers and moderate smokers. These genotypes also increased the risk of larynx cancer in moderate and heavy drinkers. Therefore, the Cys326 allele of the hOGG1 gene may increase the risk of larynx cancer associated with smoking or alcohol consumption.

Genetic polymorphisms in DNA base excision repair gene XRCC1 and the risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

BACKGROUND: The genes of base excision repair (BER) pathway have been extensively studied in the association with various human cancers. We performed a case-control study to test the association between two common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of XRCC1 gene with human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). METHODS: The genotype analysis of Arg194Trp and Arg399Gln gene polymorphisms for 92 HNSCC patients and 124 controls of cancer free subjects, in Polish population were performed using the PCR-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) with endonuclease MspI. RESULTS: No altered risk has been found individually for these SNPs, however haplotypes analysis showed high association with head and neck cancer. The highest frequency, according to wild-type of Arg194Arg and Arg399Arg genotypes, was identified for Arg194Trp-Arg399Arg haplotype (OR, 2.96; 95% CI, 1.01-8.80). CONCLUSION: Finally, we identified the combined Arg194Trp-Arg399Arg genotype of base excision repair gene XRCC1 that was associated with HNSCC and may have an impact on identification of a high-risk cancer population.

[Use of tissue autofluorescence in the diagnostics and assessment of treatment efficacy of the head end neck cancer]. / Autofluorescencja tkankowa w diagnostyce i ocenie skutecznosci leczenia nowotworów glowy i szyi.

There are still serious diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in case of carcinoma of the larynx, pharynx and oral cavity most often in patients after radiotherapy. An appropriate choice of a site to take a specimen for histopathology is crucial with regard to establish a diagnosis and find an origin of primary lesion and local recurrence. In this regard our attention is focused on those diagnostic methods which enable to detect even small pathologic lesions. Among them is tissue autofluorescence (DAFE). Its advantages are non-invasiveness, high sensitivity and repeatability. The aim of the study was to validate DAFE as a method for early diagnosis and monitoring of treatment efficacy of head and neck cancers. Forty seven patients were included. Each patient had a fibroscopic investigation with the use of white light and light inducing the tissue fluorescence. A specimen for the histopathology was taken from each site which showed fluorescence in order to verify the diagnosis. The presence of neoplastic lesions was always confirmed with histopathology in parallel with the assessment of the lesion area with fluorescence. DAFE is a non-invasive and useful method for the detection of early cancer lesions with the potential to assess the advances of the disease and to monitor its progress.

[Surgery treatment of salivary gland tumors]. / Leczenie chirurgiczne guzów nowotworowych slinianek.

INTRODUCTION: Tumors of parotid gland represent a diverse group of neoplasms with varied clinical behaviors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The diagnostic methods and treatment of salivary gland tumors are presented in this paper. The authors describe the group of 44 patients with salivary gland tumors treated surgically in ENT Departament Laryngology of Medical University in Lódz. Enucleation, partial and total parotidectomy were performed. Neurosign 100 unit was used during parotidectomy to monitoring course of facial nerve. RESULTS: Tumor mixtus was a dominate type of tumors. Only three patients with malignant tumor had facial nerve paralysis after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: (1) The extent of the surgical procedure depends on histopathologic diagnosis. (2) Using of facial nerve monitoring during parotid surgery improves its outcomes.

[Castleman disease--a case report]. / Choroba Castlemana--opis przypadku.

The Castleman disease was described for the first time in 1956 by Castleman. It is a rare disease of the lymphatic tissue, manifesting in excessive proliferation of lymphocites B and plasmatic cells in lymph nodes. The etiopathogenesis if the disease still is unknown. The paper presents a case of the Castlemana disease (hyaline vascular type) in 20-year-old man with unilateral enlargement of neck lymph nodes. The case exemplifies the difficulties met in diagnostics and treatment of the Castleman disease.