Prognostic significance of clinical parameters and Epstein-Barr virus infection in non-endemic undifferentiated carcinoma of nasopharyngeal type: a Serbian report.

Undifferentiated carcinoma of nasopharyngeal type (UCNT) is very rare tumour in Serbia, like in most of the countries of Europe, with incidence less than 0.5 per 100,000 people per year. The aim of this study was to assess the presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in the UCNT of a non-endemic population in Serbia and identify the main clinical parameters that interfere with patients' survival rate. This study included 102 patients with UCNT who were diagnosed between 1996 and 2003. Biopsies were analysed for EBV-encoded RNA (EBER) by in situ hybridization of tumour tissue microarray. Of 102 patients, 76 were men and 26 were women with ages ranging between 18 and 82 years (median 52.5, mean 53.0±14.1). Survival rates were 80, 39 and 31% for one, three and five years, respectively. Ninety-three of 102 cases were EBER positive (92%). Factors with unfavourable prognostic values were age over 50 years at the time of diagnosis, advanced clinical stage, therapy other than chemoradiotherapy and EBER negative status. In regard to the clinical data, EBER expression in UCNT was shown to be a strong independent predictor of overall and progression-free survival. To our knowledge, the current report constitutes the largest European non-endemic series of UCNT samples from a single institution with correlation between survival and clinical parameters/EBER status.

Patient with double cancer--successfully treated.

INTRODUCTION: Etiology of thrombosis in malignant diseases is multifactorial, and mechanisms that lead to thrombosis include release of the procoagulants from tumor cells (PC), factor related to bed rest, infections, as well as oncological therapy --chemotherapy, hormones, radiotherapy and surgical treatment. Thrombocytosis has frequently been found to be associated with various malignancies. CASE REPORT: 53 years old female patient hospitalised because of hypopharingeal cancer with metastasis in the left neck. Her state was complicated with deep leg vein trombosis and pseudomonas infection. Persistent thrombocitosis in laboratory monitoring indicated more adequate diagnostic procedures, which led to discovering of Chorioidal Malignant Mellanoma as a second cancer. She was treated: surgically, with antibiotics, with anticoagulants and radiotherapy. Patient was discharged from the hospital in good health condition, free of any other symptom of the malignant disease. CONCLUSION: Presense of thrombocytosis and idiopatic thrombosis can suggest occult malignancy. It would be prudent to further evaluate the relationship of trombotic events, trombocitosis and head and neck tumors. We suggest anticoagulants to prevent thromboembolic complications, affect the angiogenesis and prevent development of metastatic disease. It may lead to lower mortality rate.