A new era for the Pap test.

Utilization of liquid-based Pap testing is a significant improvement in women's health care. Increased diagnostic sensitivity and improvement of specimen adequacy are seen with its use. When combined with HPV testing, the uncertainty associated with waiting for additional testing is eliminated and additional unnecessary procedures, such as colposcopy, can be reduced. This relatively simple collection system will allow significant advances in molecular epidemiology and, in the future, development of a molecular Pap test.

Iontophoresis treatment of basal cell carcinoma with cisplatin: a case report.

Iontophoresis is a process that uses electrical current to increase the flux of ionized substances through tissue. Iontophoresis has been used in rehabilitation to decrease inflammation and pain using dexamethasone and lidocaine. In 1993, Chang et al. reported visual improvements in the lesions of nine patients diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma (BCC) following iontophoresis of cisplatin. The present case report describes the successful treatment of a 67-year-old male with a histologically confirmed BCC on his upper anterolateral left leg. The treatment consisted of four cycles of five successive days of cisplatin iontophoresis, with a 2-week rest period between cycles. The cisplatin solution (5 mL at 1 mg/mL) was used in combination with epinephrine hydrochloride. The effectiveness of the treatment was confirmed by post-treatment biopsies, which revealed granulation tissue scarring without evidence of BCC. Measurements of cellular proliferation were monitored immunohistochemically with Ki-67 and cell cycle distribution analyzed by flow cytometry.

The effect of all-trans and 9-cis retinoic acid on the steady state level of HPV16 E6/E7 mRNA and cell cycle in cervical carcinoma cells.

Retinoids, including natural vitamin A and its analogs, have been closely studied as chemopreventive drugs. The mechanism of action of retinoids, however, is not completely understood. Our study evaluated the effects of all-trans (high affinity ligand for both RAR and RXR receptors) and 9-cis retinoic acid (binds only with RXR receptors) on E6-E7 transcription, cell proliferation, cell cycle distribution, and p53 expression in CaSki cells, a cell line derived from cervical carcinoma containing 600 copies of the HPV-16 genome. Using quantitative RT-PCR analysis, we found that CaSki cells treated with all trans retinoic acid (ATRA) for seven days had a remarkably low level of E6-E7 transcription at 10(-5) M to 10(-9) M concentrations. A smaller inhibitory effect was observed on the E6-E7 transcription at a concentration of 10(-5) M with only 9-cis retinoic acid. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that cells treated with both all trans and 9-cis RA showed an increase in the mean percentage (93.5% and 86.1% respectively) of cells in the G1 phase as compared to untreated CaSki cells (55%) and normal keratinocytes (58%). The percentage of cells in the S phase decreased from a mean percentage of 28 and 26.5 to 5.8 and 5, respectively, after treatment with all trans retinoic acid and 9-cis retinoic acid. An increase in the level of immunophenotypic expression of wild type p53 was also noted after treatment with all trans retinoic acid and 9-cis retinoic acid. All trans and 9-cis retinoic acid may act on highly proliferating tumor cells by initially arresting DNA synthesis and inducing G1 arrest. In addition, they may be inducing a p53 dependent cell cycle arrest and thus suggests that all-trans and 9-cis retinoic acid may have a cytostatic effect rather than a cytotoxic effect on CaSki cells. The increased expression of p53 positive cells and the inhibition of E6/E7 transcription after treatment with these retinoids may indicate the potential role of all trans and 9-cis retinoic acid as a cell cycle regulator and an antiviral chemoprevention agent.

Viral gene detection in oral neoplasms using the polymerase chain reaction.

Eighty-four squamous cell proliferative lesions of the oral cavity and six examples of normal oral squamous mucosa were investigated for the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using universal primers and type specific probes. Human papillomavirus was identified in 1 of 6 histologically normal biopsy specimens, 2 of 4 hyperplasias, 2 of 5 inflammatory lesions, 9 of 36 cases of dysplasia or carcinoma in situ, and 7 of 39 carcinomas. All of the specimens found positive for HPV using the PCR were confirmed using slot blot hybridizations. All HPV-positive cases contained HPV 16. In addition, 2 were co-infected with HPV 11 and 1 was co-infected with HPV 18. Types 6 and 33 were not found. The same genotypes that infect the uterine cervix also were found in the oral cavity. This is the first time universal primers that allow for the detection of HPV types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 40, 42, 45, 51-59, and at least 25 other novel types have been used on oral tumors, and represents the largest number of oral samples analyzed by the PCR at this time. Due to lack of clear correlation between HPV infection and histologic findings, however, the role of this virus in oral carcinogenesis remains uncertain.

Cytotechnology manpower assessment.

The shortages of cytotechnologists in the state of South Carolina are 43 percent, representing an extreme urgency to fill these vacant positions (national average 28 percent). Furthermore, the shortage is expected to rise (52 percent) thereby demanding a solution to the problem.