Truc Thi Hoang Nguyen, Buyanbileg Sodnom-Ish, Sung Weon Choi, Hyo-Il Jung, Jaewook Cho, Inseong Hwang, Soung Min Kim. JKAOMS 2020;46:301-12. https://doi.org/10.5125/jkaoms.2020.46.5.301

The incidence of tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) in young patients has recently increased, and these TSCCs are believed to be etiologically distinct from those in older patients, who have longer exposure to risk factors such as tobacco and alcohol. The prognosis of TSCCs in young patients remains controversial. We retrospectively reviewed the records of 117 patients (2001–2011) who were diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue. Patients were divided into two age groups, older (ages over 40) and younger (ages 40 and younger). Data were compared between the two groups, and survival rates were analyzed. The results show that there are significant differences in overall, disease-free, and distant metastasis-free survival rates between the two groups. Five-year overall survival rates were 70% in older patients and 42% in young patients (p = 0.033). Five-year disease-free survival rates were 73% in older patients and 40% in young patients (p = 0.011), and 5-year distant metastasis-free survival rates were 97% in older patients and 62% in young patients (p = 0.033). Multivariate analysis revealed that histologic grade was the only independent risk factor for overall survival in both groups of patients (p = 0.002, HR = 2.287). The analysis also demonstrated that age was the critical risk factor for distant metastasis (p = 0.046, HR = 9.687). In this study, young (ages 40 and younger) patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue had a higher rate of distant metastasis and a worse prognosis. Accordingly, we propose the necessity of an extensive therapeutic regimen that should be used in all young patients with TSCC.

The association between oral microbiota and cancer development has been a topic of intense research in recent years, with compelling evidence suggesting that the oral microbiome may play a significant role in cancer initiation and progression. However, the causal connections between the two remain a subject of debate, and the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. In this case–control study, we aimed to identify common oral microbiota associated with several cancer types and investigate the potential mechanisms that may trigger immune responses and initiate cancer upon cytokine secretion. Saliva and blood samples were collected from 309 adult cancer patients and 745 healthy controls to analyze the oral microbiome and the mechanisms involved in cancer initiation. Machine learning techniques revealed that six bacterial genera were associated with cancer. The abundance of Leuconostoc, Streptococcus, Abiotrophia, and Prevotella was reduced in the cancer group, while abundance of Haemophilus and Neisseria enhanced. G protein-coupled receptor kinase, H+-transporting ATPase, and futalosine hydrolase were found significantly enriched in the cancer group. Total short-chain fatty acid (SCFAs) concentrations and free fatty acid receptor 2 (FFAR2) expression levels were greater in the control group when compared with the cancer group, while serum tumor necrosis factor alpha induced protein 8 (TNFAIP8), interleukin-6 (IL6), and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) levels were higher in the cancer group when compared with the control group. These results suggested that the alterations in the composition of oral microbiota can contribute to a reduction in SCFAs and FFAR2 expression that may initiate an inflammatory response through the upregulation of TNFAIP8 and the IL-6/STAT3 pathway, which could ultimately increase the risk of cancer onset.

Recent findings in molecular pathology suggest that genetic translocation and/oroverexpression of oncoproteins is important in salivary gland tumorigenesis and diagnosis. Weinvestigated PLAG1, SOX10, and Myb protein expression in various salivary gland neoplasm tissues. A total of 113 cases of surgically resected salivary gland neoplasms at the NationalCancer Center from January 2007 to March 2017 were identified. Immunohistochemical stainingof PLAG1, SOX10, and Myb in tissue samples was performed using tissue microarrays. Among the 113 cases, 82 (72.6%) were benign and 31 (27.4%) were malignant. PLAG1 showednuclear staining and normal parotid gland was not stained. Among 48 cases of pleomorphicadenoma, 29 (60.4%) were positive for PLAG1. All other benign and malignant salivary glandneoplasms were PLAG1-negative. SOX10 showed nuclear staining. In normal salivary gland tissuesSOX10 was expressed in cells of acinus and intercalated ducts. In benign tumors, SOX10 expressionwas observed in all pleomorphic adenoma (48/48), and basal cell adenoma (3/3), but not inother benign tumors. SOX10 positivity was observed in nine of 31 (29.0%) malignant tumors.Myb showed nuclear staining but was not detected in normal parotid glands. Four of 31 (12.9%)malignant tumors showed Myb positivity: three adenoid cystic carcinomas (AdCC) and onemyoepithelial carcinoma with focal AdCC-like histology. PLAG1 expression is specificto pleomorphic adenoma. SOX10 expression is helpful to rule out excretory duct origin tumor,but its diagnostic value is relatively low. Myb is useful for diagnosing AdCC when histology isunclear in the surgical specimen.

Yong-Seok Choi, Min Gyeong Kim, Jong-Ho Lee, Joo-Yong Park, Sung-Weon Choi. JKAOMS 2022;48:284-91. https://doi.org/10.5125/jkaoms.2022.48.5.284

Studies have shown that insertion of oleic acid into lipid bilayers can modulate the membrane properties of liposomes so as to improve their function as drug carriers. Considering that 2-hydroxyoleic acid (2OHOA), a potential antitumor agent currently undergoing clinical trials, is a derivative of oleic acid, we explored the possibility of developing 2OHOA-inserted liposomes as a multifunctional carrier of antitumor drugs in the present study. The insertion of 2OHOA into lipid bilayers was confirmed by surface charge determination and differential scanning calorimetry. 2OHOA insertion greatly decreased the order of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine packing, produced a nanosized (<100 nm) dispersion, and improved the colloidal stability of liposomes during storage. Moreover, 2OHOA-inserted liposome forms exhibited greater growth inhibitory activity against cancer cells compared with free 2OHOA, and the growth-inhibitory activity of liposomal 2OHOA was selective for tumor cells. 2OHOA insertion greatly increased the liposome-incorporated concentration of hydrophobic model drugs, including mitoxantrone, paclitaxel, and all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA). The in vitro anticancer activity of ATRA-incorporated/2OHOA-inserted liposomes was significantly higher than that of ATRA-incorporated conventional liposomes. In a B16-F10 melanoma syngeneic mouse model, the tumor growth rate was significantly delayed in mice treated with ATRA-incorporated/2OHOA-inserted liposomes compared with that in the control group. Immunohistochemical analyses revealed that the enhanced antitumor activity of ATRA-incorporated/2OHOA-inserted liposomes was due, at least in part, to increased induction of apoptosis. Collectively, our findings indicate that 2OHOA-inserted liposomes exhibit multiple advantages as antitumor drug carriers, including the ability to simultaneously deliver two anticancer drugs – 2OHOA and incorporated drug – to the tumor tissue.