Curcumin: a new radio-sensitizer of squamous cell carcinoma cells.

PURPOSE: Curcumin, a potential chemopreventive agent, was found to inhibit cancer cells in S/G2M phases of the cell cycle, when radiation is more effective. The purpose of the current study was to investigate whether curcumin can sensitize squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cells to the ionizing effects of irradiation. METHODS: Curcumin (3.5 microM) was added for 48 hours to an SCC cell line prior to irradiation. Cell growth (counts) and colony-formation (colonogenic assay) were examined after radiation. RESULTS: Incubation with curcumin only (3.75 microM) for 48 hours did not decrease the number of cells or the ability to form colonies in the absence of radiation. However, in plates that were exposed to 1-5 Gy of radiation, cell counts dropped significantly if pretreated with curcumin with a maximal effect at 2.5 Gy (where the cell counts dropped from 1240 to 1017, P < 0.001). The colonogenic assay revealed a significant decrease in the ability to form colonies following pretreatment with curcumin in all radiation doses ( P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Given the appropriate doses, curcumin exhibits radio-sensitizing effects on SCC cells in vitro.     

Subungual squamous cell carcinoma.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the nail bed is quite uncommon and usually mimics a variety of diseases, in particular fungal infection. The possibility of malignancy must be considered and a high index of suspicion and early biopsy for histology are recommended.     

4NQO carcinogenesis: A mouse model of oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma

Background. A murine model of oral cavity carcinogenesis is needed to study the molecular aspects of malignant transformation. 4-Nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO), a water-soluble carcinogen, produces squamous cell carcinoma in rodents. Protocols were designed to investigate the temporal aspects of neoplastic transformation. Methods. 4NQO was applied topically to mouse palates for up to 16 weeks. Mice were observed and killed from 24 to 49 weeks. Results. A spectrum of lesions ranging from atypia to moderately differentiated invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) was produced. The severity of the lesions corresponded to the duration of treatment and the length of observation. There was no gross or microscopic evidence of an inflammatory reaction to 4NQO. The lesions were focal and normal mucosa predominated in the treated mice. Conclusion. 4NQO reliably produced preneoplastic and malignant oral cavity lesions, which morphologically and histologically mimic human head and neck cancer. Lesions develop long after 4NQO exposure and without an inflammatory response. Thus, the model should be useful for molecular analysis of neoplastic transformation. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Clear cell carcinoma of the skin. A variant of the squamous cell carcinoma that simulates sebaceous carcinoma

Certain clear-cell carcinomas of the skin observed in elderly caucasian men with a history of excessive sun exposure and multiple skin neoplasms may be mistaken for sebaceous carcinomas or other cutaneous clear-cell tumors. These tumors are believed to be variants of squamous cell carcinoma undergoing extensive hydropic change which results in the clear-cell appearance. They are classified into three histologic types. Type I and type III tumors are either primary or recurrent squamous-cell carcinomas. The histogenesis of type II tumors is uncertain but they may represent recurrent metastatic tumors from the previously excised, adjacent epidermal squamous-cell carcinomas; however, the possibility that they are primary adnexal tumors of undetermined histogenesis remains to be determined. Various techniques of staining, as well as differences in histologic appearance, assist in the differential diagnosis of these and other cutaneous clear-cell neoplasms.     

A new prognostic score for the survival of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Purpose

Recent studies have shown that the modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS), which is an inflammation-based prognostic score, is useful as a prognostic index for some cancer cases. The purpose of this study was to create a prognostic scoring system for patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) that was more independent and sensitive than the mGPS.

Methods

One hundred sixty-eight patients who had undergone esophagectomy for ESCC were included in the study. The new mGPS (NmGPS) was calculated based on the following cutoff values: CRP >0.75 mg/dL indicated NmGPS 1 or 2, depending on the absence or presence of hypoalbuminemia (<3.5 g/dL); and CRP ≤0.75 mg/dL indicated NmGPS 0. We also performed an analysis based on cutoff values of 0.5 and 0.25 mg/dL for CRP.

Results

Only the NmGPS with a cutoff CRP value of 0.5 mg/dL was able to divide into three independent patient groups in the survival curves. In the multivariate analyses, a NmGPS (CRP cutoff; 0.5 mg/dL) of 2 was a more significant independent prognostic factor (HR 4.437, 95 % CI 2.000–9.844, p = 0.0002) than a mGPS of 2 (HR 2.726, 95 % CI 1.021–7.112, p = 0.0449).

Conclusions

The new prognostic score NmGPS (CRP cutoff; 0.5 mg/dL) was more independent and sensitive than the mGPS for patients with ESCC.     

Gastric involvement of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Among 402 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus, gastric wall involvement was evident in 32 (8.0 per cent). These could be grouped into four types according to the pattern of involvement: group 1 included six patients with gastric involvement via metastases in perigastric lymph nodes; group 2 consisted of 11 patients with gastric intramural metastasis; group 3 contained 12 with direct invasion of the gastric wall by the oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma; and group 4 three patients with intraepithelial spread of oesophageal cancer to the gastric epithelium. Prognosis was poor, all patients dying except for one in each of groups 3 and 4. The mean survival time was 5.6, 8.6, 14.8 and 18.7 months in groups 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. Gastric involvement via metastases to lymph nodes and by intramural metastasis therefore indicates an extremely poor prognosis, while the prognosis in groups 3 and 4 was influenced by the depth of invasion and lymph node metastasis of the oesophageal cancer. Histological examination of tissues from group 4 patients demonstrated that malignant squamous cells proliferated and invaded the gastric epithelial layer, that is, there was intraepithelial spread of the oesophageal cancer.     

Verrucous squamous cell carcinoma

Verrucous squamous cell carcinoma involving the plantar aspect of the foot is a relatively rare and generally slow growing tumor that is capable of great local destruction. Diagnosis is based on history, clinical appearance and, most importantly, deep biopsy. A case report is presented, along with a literature review of the history, treatment and prognosis of this rare entity.     

Biliary squamous cell carcinoma

Squamous cell carcinoma of the liver, bile ducts and gallbladder is extremely rare. We report a case of squamous cell carcinoma of the common bile duct manifesting atypically without jaundice, despite its large size and proximal bile duct dilation. A review of the literature concerning all other squamous carcinoma of the biliary tract is presented including 3 other bile duct cancers, 17 intrahepatic and 30 gallbladder cancers. Compared to the more common adenocarcinoma these rare biliary cancers seem to present particular clinical features and prognostic differences which may be important for planning treatment.     

Thymic squamous cell carcinoma

In the case described, a 43-year-old man had an asymptomatic mass involving the right hilar and superior mediastinum. At surgery, the tumor was found to have invaded the right middle lobe of the lung and the pericardium. The mass was found to be a thymic squamous cell carcinoma, a rare tumor. Two serum tumor markers--lipid-associated sialic acid and squamous cell carcinoma antigen--were elevated. The patient underwent postoperative radiation therapy and has responded favorably to treatment. He had no clinical evidence of metastasis or recurrence as of 43 months postoperatively.     

Subungual squamous cell carcinoma

Squamous cell carcinoma of the nail bed is quite uncommon and is often mistaken for other conditions, causing a delay in diagnosis which, once the condition metastasises, can be fatal. We present the case of an 89-year-old man with a 2-year history of a painful lesion under his nail bed in whom histology confirmed subungual squamous cell carcinoma, and who underwent amputation at the level of the interphalangeal joint of his right thumb. It is important that the presence of a rapidly growing tumour suggest the possibility of malignancy, as early and exploratory nail plate removal for the evaluation of any suspicious subungual lesions may allow the avoidance of amputation.