The Study of Voice in Postmenopausal Syndrome / 대한이비인후과학회지

OBJECTIVES: We intended to evaluate the relationship between voice and the menopause, so we observed vocal symptoms and voice parameters in patients of postmenopausal syndrome compared with those in premenopausal women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty postmenopausal and twenty premenopausal women were included in this study. Each woman was asked to describe their subjective vocal symptoms and phonate a vowel /a/ sound for 3 seconds. The voices were recorded and analyzed by the Multi-Dimensional Voice Program and a Laryngograph. A statistical analysis of voice parameters was done by a paired-t-test. RESULTS: Vocal symptoms detected in the menopausal women were lowered pitch, voice fatigue, recurrent hoarseness, and loss of high tone. Jitter in postmenopausal group was significantly increased compared with the premenopausal group, but the fundamental frequency, shimmer, the Harmonics-to-noise ratio and the closing quotient showed no significant differences. There were no significant changes of voice parameters between menopausal patients with and without vocal symptoms. CONCLUSION: The change of voice may be objectively identified in postmenopausal women. In treating the postmenopausal symptoms, it may be required to take voice changes into consideration.

Clinical Study of the Hemangioma of the Head and Neck in Adult / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hemangiomas are the most common benign tumors in children, but are sometimes reported in adults. There are many reports about hemangioma in children, but rare in adults. We intended to identify the clinical manifestations of hemangiomas and their treatment modalities. MATERIALS AND METHOD: We reviewed medical records of 25 patients over 20 years old, who underwent operation and were diagnosed with hemangioma from 1985 to 1999. RESULTS: There were 12 males and 13 females with their age ranging from 20 to 65 years, and a peak incidence was observed in the third decade (44%). The diagnoses were classified depending on histopathologic findings, and they were cavernous hemangioma in 19 cases (76%), capillary hemangioma in 3 cases (12%) and mixed hemangioma (12%). The most prevalent site was tongue (36%), followed by nasal cavity (16%), parotid (12%) and buccal area (8%). All patients underwent surgical excision and radiation therapy was added in 2 cases. Postoperative recurrences were observed in 3 cases (14%). CONCLUSION: Unlike hemangiomas in children, hemangiomas in adults are less likely to undergo spontaneous involution and they rarely resolve. Therefore, the research recommends that more active interventions like excision should be considered rather than observation for adult hemangiomas.

The Expression Pattern and the Prognostic Value of p53, p21, and Bax Proteins in Oral Squamous Cell Cancer / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The wild-type p53 protein activates different tumor suppressor genes, leading to the Gl arrest following DNA damage. P21 and bax play a pivotal role in the regulation of apoptosis. The authors wanted to find out the relationship among p53, p21 and bax and the correlation between the staining results and dinicopathologic factors. We also assessed their influence on survival in the oral cavity cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Paraffin embedded tissue sections were made from squamous cell carcinoma of oral cavity from 46 patients. Tissue sections were immunohistochemically stained for the expression of p53, p21 and bax. Results were then compared with the size of primary tumor, lymph node metastasis and histopathalogic diffrentiation. The probability of survival was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Immunoreactivity of the p53 and p21 were detected dominantly in the nuclei at various levels, and immunoreativity of bax was detected in the cytoplasm, The positive rates of p53, p21, and bax were 54.4%, 58.7%, 26.1%, respectively. The positive rate of p53 and the negative rate of bax expression were significantly increased with T-stage but were not affected by N-stage and histopathologic differentiation. P21 had no correlation with the T-stage, N-stage nor with pathologic differentiation. In the multivariate analysis, neither the single oncoprotein nor the combinations of p53, p21, bax had influence on survival statistically. CONCLUSION: The bax protein and mutant p53 protein can be a biological marker for primary tumor progression.

Expression of Cyclin D1 Protein and Ki-67 Index in Advanced Squamous Cell Carcinomas of Head and Neck and Correlation with Response to Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Although several oncogenes have been implicated in cellular resistance to ionising radiation or anticancer drug, there is little known about clinical information relating oncogene expression with clinical response to chemoradiotherapy. Correlation between expression of cyclin D1 and Ki-67 and clinical response to chemotherapy and radiotherapy in advanced squamous cell carcinomas was investigated. DESIGN: Retrospective study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor materials of 36 patients with advanced SCC of head and neck (clinical stage III, IV) were analyzed by immunohistochemical method with cyclin D1 and MIB-1 monoclonal antibodies. All patients were treated with induction chemotherapy and 22 patients were followed by radiotherapy. RESULTS: Overexpression of cyclin D1 protein was found in 33% (12/36). The expressed range of Ki-67 was from 0% to 80.1%. Expression of cyclin D1 protein was higher in the non-response group than in the response group to chemotherapy, but was not correlated with radiotherapy response. The Ki-67 index was not associated with tumor response to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that overexpression of cyclin D1 would be a marker for the chemotherapy response, although not for the radiotherapy response, whereas Ki-67 index may not be associated with tumor response to the chemotherapy and not to the radiotherapy in advanced squamous cell carcinomas of head and neck.