Incidence of Head and Neck Cancers before and after 9/11 in New York City and New York State

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> The incidence of cancers in New York State (NYS) before and after 9/11 including lung, colorectal, and renal cancers has been previously described. To date, the incidence of head and neck cancers (HNCs) before and after 9/11 has not been described. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Cancers involving the oral cavity and oropharynx; the nose, nasal cavity, nasopharynx, and middle ear; larynx; and thyroid were identified using the New York State Cancer Registry (NYSCR). Age-adjusted incidence and rates per 100,000 residents from 1987 to 2015 were analyzed using joinpoint regression. Trends in incidence using annual percent changes are presented. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The overall rate of HNC increased slightly by 0.7% (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001) from 1987 to 2003 in NYS. From 2003 to 2008, the rate increased by 5.73% (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001), and from 2008 to 2015, the rate increased by 1.68% (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001). The rate of thyroid cancer increased by 6.79% (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001) from 1987 to 2003, by 9.99% (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001) from 2003 to 2009, and by 2.41% (<i>p</i> = 0.001) from 2009 to 2015. The rate of thyroid cancer was higher in women at all time points. In a subset analysis of HNCs excluding thyroid cancer, the rate decreased by 2.02% (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001) from 1991 to 2001, followed by a nonsignificant increase of 0.1% (<i>p</i> = 0.515) from 2001 to 2015. The rate of oropharyngeal (OP) cancer significantly increased from 1999 to 2015 (2.65%; <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001). The rate of oral cavity cancer significantly decreased from 1987 to 2003 (1.97%; <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001), with no significant change after 2003. The rate of laryngeal cancer decreased significantly by 2.43% (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001) from 1987 to 2015, as did the rate of nasal cavity/nasopharyngeal cancer (0.33%; <i>p</i> = 0.03). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> In NYS, OP cancer and thyroid cancer rates increased significantly during the study period. The rate of thyroid cancer was higher in women. The rate of combined HNC increased significantly after 9/11 compared to before 9/11; however, in a subset analysis of all HNC patients excluding thyroid cancer, the rate decreased significantly prior to 9/11 and then nonsignificantly increased afterward. This suggests that the increase in thyroid cancer accounts for the increase in combined HNC in NYS. The impact of 9/11 on rates of HNC requires further research.

The Expression of Glutaminases and their Association with Clinicopathological Parameters in the Head and Neck Cancers

Background: The increased glutamine metabolism is a characteristic feature of cancer cells. The interconversion between glutamine and glutamate is catalyzed by two glutaminase isoforms, GLS1 and GLS2, which appear to have different roles in different types of cancer. We investigated for the first time the protein expression of GLS1 and GLS2, and their correlation with advanced clinicopathological parameters in head and neck cancers. Method: Consecutive slides from a tissue microarray comprised of 80 samples ranging from normal to metastatic, were stained immunohistochemically for GLS1, GLS2, HIF-1α or CD147. Following analysis by two expert pathologists we carried out statistical analysis of the scores. Results: GLS1 and GLS2 are upregulated at protein level in head and neck tumours compared to normal tissues and this increased expression correlated positively (GLS1) and negatively (GLS2) with tumor grade, indicating a shift of expression between GLS enzyme isoforms based on tumor differentiation. Increased expression of GLS1 was associated with high CD147 expression; and elevated GLS2 expression was associated with both high CD147 and high HIF-1α expressions. The correlation of the GLS1 and GLS2 with HIF-1α or CD147 was strongly associated with more advanced clinicopathological parameters. Conclusion: The increased expression of GLS1 and GLS2 may be explored as a new treatment for head and neck cancers.

Clinical Theragnostic Relationship between Chemotherapeutic Resistance, and Sensitivity and miRNA Expressions in Head and Neck Cancers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocol

Background: The microRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding single-stranded RNAs typically 19–25 nucleotides long and regulated by cellular and epigenetic factors. These miRNAs plays important part in several pathways necessary for cancer development, an altered miRNA expression can be oncogenic or tumor-suppressive. Recent experimental results on miRNA have illuminated a different perspective of the molecular pathogenesis of head and neck cancers. Regulation of miRNA can have a detrimental effect on the efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs in both neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings. This miRNA-induced chemoresistance can influence the prognosis and survival rate. The focus of the study is on how regulations of various miRNA levels contribute to chemoresistance in head and neck cancer (HNC). Recent findings suggest that up or down-regulation of miRNAs may lead to resistance towards various chemotherapeutic drugs, which may influence the prognosis. Methods: Studies on miRNA-specific chemoresistance in HNC were collected through literary (bibliographic) databases, including SCOPUS, PubMed, Nature, Elsevier, etc., and were systematically reviewed following PRISMA-P guidelines (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocol). We evaluated various miRNAs, their up and downregulation, the effect of altered regulation on the patient’s prognosis, resistant cell lines, etc. The data evaluated will be represented in the form of a review and meta-analysis. Discussion: This meta-analysis aims to explore the miRNA-induced chemoresistance in HNC and thus to aid further researches on this topic. PROSPERO registration: CRD42018104657.