Expression of VEGF, HGF, IL-6, IL-8, MMP-9, Telomerase in Peripheral Blood of Patients with Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the telomerase expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and the relationship between the serum level of several soluble factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), hepatocyte growth factor, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and matrix metallopeptidase-9 and the clinicopathological features of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). METHODS: Peripheral blood samples were collected from 50 HNSCC patients and 15 normal controls. The telomerase activity in the PBMCs was measured by Telomere Repeat Amplification Protocols. The serum levels of the soluble factors were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: The expression of telomerase in the PBMCs of HNSCC patients was significantly correlated with the N and American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stages. The serum VEGF level was significantly higher in the patients with an advanced T stage, N stage and AJCC stage. Serum VEGF was significantly related with the expression of telomerase in the PBMCs. The telomerase expression and the VEGF expression were shown to be independent factors associated with poor survival. CONCLUSION: The telomerase expression in the PBMCs and the serum VEGF level of HNSCC patients were significantly correlated with the N stage, the AJCC stage and the prognosis.

Sudden Deafness in the Elderly / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Sudden deafness in the elderly is rare and its prognosis is poorer than in adults. The unaffected ear also may have hearing impairment of variable severity and physiological hearing threshold shift termed presbycusis in the elderly. The old person often had various systemic complications including diabetes and hypertension. This study was designed to evaluate clinical manifestations and prognosis of sudden deafness in the elderly and to compare with sudden deafness in adults and children. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: We reviewed the medical and audiological records of 96 patients (102 ears) who are more than 60 years of age, and admitted to the Department of Otolaryngology, Pusan National University Hospital from January 1990 to December 2001. RESULTS: The total recovery rate of sudden deafness was lower in the elderly than in adults and children. Hearing recovery was significantly poorer in the patients with diabetes and hypertension. Hearing recovery was significantly poor in the patients with profound degree of hearing loss. The patients who had been treated within 7 days after onset of hearing loss showed better recovery rate than those treated 7 days later. CONCLUSION: We consider the effect of treatment of sudden deafness in the elderly to be best judged in various degrees of hearing impairment in the unaffected ear. The poor prognosis observed in patients with the concurrent disease is likely to have been brought about by preexisting microvascular diseases of the hearing organ, which is highly affected by aging. Good hearing recovery in the elderly is considered to be associated with time of initial treatment and expected in patients without concurrent diseases.