Biomedical subjects

Steffen Maune

Publications and source records attributed to Steffen Maune.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2002

Fine-needle aspiration cytology of the sentinel lymph node in head and neck cancer.

UNLABELLED: In squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, staging of the neck cannot rule out occult metastatic disease. An improved staging is necessary to avoid elective neck dissection in patients staged as N0. The study was performed to determine the feasibility of the detection of occult metastatic disease by ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology (USgFNAC) of sentinel lymph nodes (SLN). METHODS: Sixteen consecutive patients diagnosed with oral, oropharyngeal, or dermal squamous cell carcinoma who had been staged as N0 underwent lymphoscintigraphy in double tracer technique to localize SLNs. A USgFNAC was performed on SLNs before elective neck dissection. The results of USgFNAC were compared with pathohistologic findings, which were regarded as the gold standard. RESULTS: Seven of 16 patients were upstaged to N+ after histopathologic examination of the neck dissection specimen. In only 1 of these patients was metastatic disease detected by USgFNAC of the SLN. CONCLUSION: The combination of lymphoscintigraphy and USgFNAC of the SLN improves preselection of N+ patients and, thus, the staging procedures. However, based on present results this method does not seem reliable in deciding whether an elective neck dissection can be avoided. A biopsy of the SLN with close histopathologic work-up seems to be mandatory for the detection of occult metastatic disease, because the merely incidental aspiration of micrometastatic material within normal-sized lymph nodes results in a high number of false-negative results by USgFNAC.

Biopsy, Needle↗

PubMedDate not supplied

p53 autoantibodies as tumor marker in head and neck squamous cell cancer.

p53 autoantibodies (AAB) are a new serological parameter with unknown potential in patients with malignancies. The reason why and the mechanism by which they develop is still unclear. So far, only in a limited number of studies has the usefulness of p53 AAB in the follow-up of cancer patients been shown. In this study 32 patients with head and neck cancer, seropositive for p53 AAB in their serum detected with an ELISA, were followed-up for at least 42 months. In 9 out of 32 p53 seropositive AAB head and neck cancer patients a correlation with the clinical course of the disease was seen. The remaining 23 of the p53 AAB-positive patients did not demonstrate any significant AAB titer changes during the follow-up and no significant correlation with the clinical course was observed. In conclusion, the clinical value of p53 AAB as a tumor marker for patients with head and neck cancer seems to be limited.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Cyfra 21-1 in diagnosis of distant metastases of head and neck carcinoma.

Follow-up examinations of patients might detect local tumor recurrences at a curable stage, which is more difficult for distant metastases (DM). Recently, elevated Cyfra 21-1 serum levels (CySL) could be shown not only to correlate with HNSCC-tumor size but also with development of DM. We focussed on the CySL of 476 HNSCC patients as a first step. At first time diagnosis, besides regular staging procedures, these patients were screened for CySL higher than 3.3 ng/ml. Seventeen out of 476 (3.9%) patients showed DM. Seventeen out of 19 patients (89.5%) presented elevated CySL: A further 830 patients with HNSCC were tested for changes in CySL in the course of disease (cut-off value 3.3 ng/ml). Seventy-one out of 830 patients (8.6%) showed elevated CySL. Tumor growth was found in 50 out of 71 patients (70.4%). In 54% of these patients (27 out of 50) DM were detected. Routine screening for CySL can lead to timely detection of DM in HNSCC, despite its fairly low sensitivity.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Overexpression of a novel lysyl oxidase-like gene in human head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

BACKGROUND: To compare the mRNA expression profile of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cells and normal epithelial cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Differential display was used to trace genes showing differential expression in HNSCC cells. Rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) was carried out to identify 5'upstream sequences followed by Northern hybridisation for verification of the differential mRNA expression. RESULTS: An overexpression of a 59 bp gene fragment was detected in HNSCC cells in contrast to normal epithelial cells. After cloning and sequencing the gene fragment, high grade of homology was found with a human cDNA full insert sequence (fis). After amplification and sequencing of the 5'end of the fis clone, subsequent database searches showed an exact match with the coding sequence of the human lysyl oxidase-like gene 4 (LOXL4). The differential expression of this 4.8 kb LOXL4-mRNA was confirmed by Northern hybridisation. CONCLUSION: The data presented in this work might emphasize the involvement of LOXL4 in molecular processes of the genesis or progression of head and neck carcinomas.

Amino Acid Oxidoreductases↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Electrofusion generates diverse DC-tumour cell hybrids for cancer immunotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Hybrid cells generated from dendritic cells (DC) and tumour cells provide tumour-associated antigens (TAA) in a polyvalent mode. The present study was designed to investigate the hybrid cell generation by dendritic cells and different tumour cell lines to establish an electrofusion protocol with an optimal fusion setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hybrid cells from mature DC and tumour cells were generated by electrofusion. Fusion efficiency was determined by flow cytometry, as well as by light and fluorescence microscopy analyses. RESULTS: The gradual electrofusion process constituted different human dendritic cell tumour cell hybrids of high diversity depending on electrical and non-electrical parameters. Factors influencing fusion frequency were determined by specific cell staining with mAbs, FACS analysis and trypan blue dye exclusion. CONCLUSION: Increased fusion efficiency was associated with reduced viability. The protocol presented in this work might be helpful for future fusion studies as a prerequisite for comparable in vitro and human vaccination trials.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Human beta-defensin-2 in oral cancer with opportunistic Candida infection.

Candida albicans (CA) is a frequent opportunistic pathogen in cancer patients. Usually, human surfaces are protected, apart from physical barriers, by the production of human beta-defensins (hBD). hBD-2 shows a potent antimicrobial activity against CA. We therefore investigated whether CA induces hBD-2 expression in primary oral cells and if immunosuppressive betamethasone alters hBD-2 expression. Additionally, we studied, whether a lack of hBD-2 expression could explain opportunistic infection of tonsillar cancer. Primary oral epithelial cells and fibroblasts were stimulated with Candida albicans in a time- and dose-dependent manner with or without betamethasone preincubation. Total RNA from oral cells and specimens was isolated and hBD-2 expression was analyzed by semiquantitative RT-PCR. Our data demonstrate that opportunistic CA induced hBD-2 expression in a time- and dose-dependent manner, suggesting hBD-2 to be a fast antifungal, epithelia-derived immune response. Treatment with glucocorticoid could lead to diminished innate immunity based on suppression of inducible AP. Malignant transformation induces alteration of hBD-2 expression and leads to a reduced hBD-2 expression and subsequentially to Candida colonization on oral SCCs.

Base Sequence↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The role of RANTES in nasal polyposis.

BACKGROUND: Characteristic infiltrates of eosinophils are a hallmark of nasal polyps (NPs). Several studies suggest that members of the CC chemokine family may be involved in this process. RANTES (regulated on activation, normal t-cell-expressed and secreted) is a member of the CC chemokine family with chemotactic activity on mainly eosinophils and T lymphocytes. Thus, RANTES is an interesting target for the recruitment of eosinophils and T lymphocytes into the nose. The degree of the tissue eosinophilia has been reported to correlate with the severeness of the symptomatology of the disease and the extension on the lower respiratory tract, as well as with the probability of the recurrence of NPs. Therefore, we hypothesized that high numbers of eosinophils correlate with high levels of RANTES and that associated atopic diseases modify this correlation. METHODS: Total RNA was extracted from NP homogenates, reverse transcribed and RANTES mRNA expression analyzed using semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Northern blot analysis. Histological studies divided NPs in an eosinophilic and low eosinophilic group. Additionally, RANTES protein concentration was measured in homogenates by a RANTES-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: This study has clearly shown that RANTES is expressed and secreted in NPs. The group with a high tissue eosinophilia had a significant higher RANTES gene expression and protein production than NPs without tissue eosinophilia. The isolated coincidence of acetylsalicyl acid intolerance with chronic hyperplastic sinusitis/NP additionally increased significantly the RANTES amounts in NPs. CONCLUSION: Increased RANTES leads to increased tissue eosinophilia. Associated acetylsalicylic acid intolerance seems to enhance the amount of RANTES in NPs and might explain in part the more severe clinical course in those patients. Thus, RANTES appears to play an important role in mobilization of eosinophils into the local inflamed tissue.

Biomarkers↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Overexpression of p68 mRNA in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells.

BACKGROUND: Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are aggressively growing tumors with only marginal improvement in outcome despite ongoing developments in treatment protocols. This problem has been associated with a lack of therapy individualization on tumor biological properties. MATERIALS AND METHODS: mRNA expression profiles of HNSCC and normal epithelial cells were compared in order to identify genes associated with cancer formation. Differential display was used to trace gene fragments showing differential expression in HNSCC cells, which were than isolated, re-amplified, cloned and sequenced. RESULTS: A 131-bp-long fragment was identified to be overexpressed in HNSCC cells that revealed a 99.3% homology with p68 mRNA. The differential expression was confirmed by Northern hybridization. CONCLUSION: The data presented suggest an involvement of p68 in the process of malignant transformation or progression of HNSCC.

Base Sequence↗