Two novel iridoids from Morinda longifolia.

Six secondary metabolites, including two novel iridoids, longifolides A (1) and B (2), were isolated by various chromatographic methods from a methanol extract of branches and leaves of Morinda longifolia Craib. The structures of the compounds were determined on the basis of NMR spectroscopic (1H and 13C NMR, HSQC, HMBC, 1H-1H COSY, NOESY) and FTICR-MS data, as well as by comparison of them with literature values.

Molecular predictors of clinical outcome in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) involves the upper aerodigestive tract and can destroy the structure and function of organs involved in voice, speech, taste, smell and hearing, as well as vital structures necessary for survival. HNSCC has long been a treatment challenge because of the high rate of recurrences and of advanced disease at the time of diagnosis. Molecular identification of tissue biomarkers in diagnostic biopsy specimens may not only identify patients at risk for developing HNSCC but may also select patients that may benefit from more aggressive treatment modalities. Several biomarkers studied to date such as the proteins p53, cyclin D1, p16, Cox-2 enzyme, epidermal growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor receptors, matrix metalloproteinases and the Fhit marker for genomic instability could be manipulated for the therapeutic benefit of these patients. This review presents the most updated information on molecular biomarkers with the greatest prognostic potential in HNSCC and discusses some factors that contribute to the controversy concerning their prognostic importance.

Expression of the chemokine receptor CCR7 in prostate cancer presenting with generalized lymphadenopathy: report of a case, review of the literature, and analysis of chemokine receptor expression.

PURPOSE: Generalized lymphadenopathy is a rare presentation of prostate cancer. We report a case and review reported cases in the literature. Because of the association of chemokine receptor expression with specific metastatic patterns, we tested for expression of chemokine receptors known to mediate migration to lymph nodes. METHODS: We performed a MEDLINE (National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD) database search for case reports during the last 32 years using "prostate cancer," "lymphadenopathy," "metastatic to lymph nodes," and "mimicking lymphoma" as keywords. Expression of the CXCR4 and CCR7 chemokine receptors was assessed by immunohistochemistry. Laser capture microdissection and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction for CXCR4 were used to exclude nonspecific binding. RESULTS: Of 153 patients with prostate cancer presenting with lymphadenopathy (LAD) described in the literature, 67 (44%) presented with supraclavicular adenopathy, 29 (19%) retroperitoneal, 22 (14%) mediastinal, 15 (10%) cervical, 9 (6%) inguinal, and 2 (1%) axillary LAD. Only 9 patients presenting with generalized LAD have been previously reported. Monoclonal antibodies to CCR7 showed intense staining in the patient's tumor epithelium. Little or no staining was observed for CXCR4. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction for chemokine receptors on ribonucleic acid (RNA) recovered from the patient's sample failed to express messenger RNA for CXCR4 but did express messenger RNA for CCR1, CCR4, and CCR5. CONCLUSIONS: Prostate cancer may present on rare occasions with generalized adenopathy. Variable expression of chemokine receptors may be associated with organ specific patterns of metastasis. In this case, expression of CCR7 may have accounted for the unusual predilection of this patient's prostate cancer for lymph nodes.

Mixed micropapillary and trophoblastic carcinoma of bladder: report of a first case with new immunohistochemical evidence of urothelial origin.

The micropapillary variant of urothelial carcinoma has a reported incidence of 0.7%. Trophoblastic urinary carcinoma is very rare, with roughly 30 cases reported during the last century. This is the first report of mixed micropapillary and trophoblastic bladder carcinoma. A 45-year-old man presented with gross hematuria. His tumor contained choriocarcinomatoid areas with syncytiotrophoblasts, classic micropapillary carcinoma, conventional high-grade urothelial carcinoma, and flat carcinoma in situ. He underwent radical surgery; tumor stage was T4N2M0. Despite postoperative combination chemotherapy, he developed pulmonary and retroperitoneal metastases and died 20 months after presentation. The tumor was immunopositive for human chorionic gonadotropin and human placental lactogen in trophoblast and for cytokeratin 20 and high-molecular-weight cytokeratin in all tumor components. Because high-molecular-weight cytokeratin is expressed by urothelium but is rarely found in placental trophoblast or germ-cell choriocarcinoma, its presence in trophoblastic bladder carcinoma is new evidence that the latter is a transformed neoplasm of urothelial origin.

A novel epidermal nevus syndrome with congenital cylindromatous turban tumor.

BACKGROUND: Epidermal nevi (in the broad sense of epithelial nevi) may give rise to benign or malignant skin tumors. They may also be associated with anomalies of other organ systems in an epidermal nevus syndrome. RESULTS: This article describes a preterm infant with nevus sebaceus of the scalp and face, a large turban tumor with features of malignant cylindroma and multiple non-cutaneous defects. These included skeletal, hematopoietic, hepatobiliary, and urinary anomalies. Severe secondary lesions were present (pulmonary hypoplasia due to oligohydramnios; cerebral infarcts probably related to the turban tumor). Karyotype was normal, and family history was negative. CONCLUSIONS: This unique case is unlike any reported epidermal nevus syndrome. Similarly, there is no prior report of a congenital cylindroma, certainly not as a turban tumor, which implies very rapid growth. The presence of both overgrowth and undergrowth phenomena (e.g. hypoplastic urinary tract and biliary atresia) may reflect dysregulation of paracrine growth factors, presumably due to genetic mutation.

A rare case of mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the nasal cavity.

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the nasal cavity is rare. We report the case of a 57-year-old man who was evaluated for a rapidly enlarging subcutaneous mass on the nasal bridge. The tumor was diagnosed as a mucoepidermoid carcinoma. The patient underwent extensive surgical resection and postoperative radiotherapy, but 5 months later he required orbital exenteration for persistent disease. Despite these radical measures, the patient died with persistent disease 9 months following the initial evaluation. The aggressive behavior of this tumor highlights the need for physicians to be aware of the differential diagnosis, symptoms, and signs of neoplasms that originate in the nasal cavity so that prompt treatment can be instituted.