Serum alkaline phosphatase predicts survival outcomes in patients with skeletal metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma

OBJECTIVE: Bone metastasis is frequently associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The diagnosis and follow-up of bone metastatic patients usually relies on skeletal X-ray and bone scintigraphy, which are time-consuming and costly. This study aimed to evaluate whether serum alkaline phosphatase offers clinical value in predicting the clinical response and survival outcome for skeletal metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma. METHODS: Serum alkaline phosphatase was measured at baseline and then before each cycle of treatment in 416 nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with bone metastasis. The correlations between the pre-treatment and post-treatment alkaline phosphatase levels and the treatment efficacy were analyzed using the chi-square test. Survival was analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier method and then compared using the log-rank test. RESULTS: Patients with elevated pre-treatment alkaline phosphatase (>110 IU/L) had significantly worse progression-free survival (P<0.001) and overall survival (P<0.001) than those with a normal level of this marker (≤110 IU/L). Patients with elevated post-treatment alkaline phosphatase had worse progression-free survival (P<0.001) and overall survival (P<0.001) compared with those with a normal level. Patients with normal pre-treatment and post-treatment alkaline phosphatase showed the most favorable prognosis. The Cox multivariate analysis revealed that only the pre-treatment and post-treatment alkaline phosphatase levels were independent prognostic factors for progression-free survival (HR ϝ 1.656, P<0.001; HR ϝ 2.226, P<0.001) and for overall survival (HR ϝ 1.794, P<0.001; HR ϝ 2.657, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Serum alkaline phosphatase appears to be a significant independent prognostic index in patients with skeletal metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma, which could reflect the short-term treatment response ...

Expresión inmunohistoquímica de metaloproteasas (MMP-1, 2 y 11) e inhibidor de metaloproteasas de tejido-1 (TIMP-1), y expresión de p53 en linfomas angiocéntricos de células T/NK tipo nasal / Metalloproteinase (MMP-1, 2 and 11), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), and p53 expression in nasal-type angiocentric T/NK-cell lymphoma. An immunohistochemical study

Se analizan 20 casos de linfomas extraganglionares de células T/NK de tipo nasal, estudiados en el Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, México, D. F., para su expresión inmunohistoquímica de las células neoplásicas, expresión nuclear de la proteína supresora de tumor p53, así como de enzimas que participan en invasión, destrucción tisular y metástasis: metaloproteasas. Material y métodos: Se estudió el material quirúrgico de estos casos y se efectuó tinción con hematoxilina y eosina analizando sus características histopatológicas: tamaño celular y detalle citológico. Se realizó estudio de inmunohistoquímica para corroborar el tipo celular, así como CD3 (células T), CD56 (células NK), expresión nuclear de la proteína supresora de tumor p53, y la expresión de metaloproteasas tipo 1, 2, 11 (MMP-1, 2, 11) y un inhibidor de metaloproteasas 1 (TIMP-1). Se analizaron variables demográficas, como edad del paciente, sexo, localización del tumor primario, etapa clínica, tratamiento en general y seguimiento. Estudio estadístico: Se analizó la prueba exacta de Fisher para correlacionar la expresión entre las metaloproteasas y su diferencial entre las células epiteliales, tumorales, estromales, necrosis y células endoteliales. Resultados: Los 20 casos fueron positivos CD3 citoplásmico, CD56, 19 de ellos positivos a p53, cinco de ellos con positividad nuclear mayor al 50% de las células neoplásicas. Hubo una mayor expresión citoplásmica tumoral de MMP-1; mayor expresión citoplásmica en el epitelio de TIMP1 y MMP-11. Los pacientes con sobreexpresión de p53 tuvieron un curso clínico fatal. Tres de ellos recibieron únicamente radioterapia falleciendo dentro del primer mes del tratamiento. Discusión: Los linfomas angiocéntricos de células T/NK tipo nasal son neoplasias frecuentes en los países de Asia, Latinoamérica, incluyendo a México. Frecuentemente esta patología se asocia a VEB con expresión fenotípica de células T/NK, cuyas características histológicas son: atipia celular linfoide, angioinvasión y necrosis, reflejado en los pacientes con destrucción progresiva de los tejidos blandos del macizo facial y curso clínico fatal.

Twenty cases of extraganglionar Nasal type T/NK cell lymphomas were analyzed at the National Cancer Institute of Mexico. We studied immunophenotype of neoplastic cells, nuclear p53 expression, and enzymes as matrix metalloproteinases participating in invasion, tissular destruction and metastases. Material and Methods: Paraffin blocks from all cases were retrieved and analyzed by hematoxilin and eosin. Histopathological features included cellular size and cytologic characteristics. We performed immunohisto chemistry to determine CD3, CD56, p53 cellular type and expression of (MMPs-1, 2,11) matrix metalloproteinases and one tissue inhibitor of TIMP 1 metalloproteinase. Demographic variables included, age, sex, primary location, clinical stage, treatment and follow up. Statistical analysis: The association of different matrix metalloproteinases in epithelial and tumoral cells, stroma, necrosis and endothelial cells were found to be significant using Fisher s exact test. Results: All studied cases were positive to cytoplasmic CD3, CD56 (NK cells), 19 of them were positive to p53, five of them with nuclear overexpression of p53 in more than 50% of neoplastic cells. There was significant expression of MMP-1 in tumoral cells; the epithelium displayed significant expression of TIMP 1 and MMP-11. Patients with p53 overexpression displayed a poorer prognosis. Three of them had undergone radiotherapy and died within the first month of treatment. Discussion: This type of lymphoma is a common neoplasm in Asia, Latin America and Mexico. It is worth noting it has has been linked to Epstein Barr virus with T/NK-cell phenotype, which often displays cellular atypia, an angiocentric growth pattern and necrosis. It is clinically expressed by progressive destruction of midline facial soft tissue and has a poor prognosis.