Prognostic and predictive significance of nuclear HIF1α expression in locally advanced HNSCC patients treated with chemoradiation with or without nimotuzumab

Background Anti-EGFR-based therapies have limited success in HNSCC patients. Predictive biomarkers are greatly needed to identify the patients likely to be benefited from these targeted therapies. Here, we present the prognostic and predictive association of biomarkers in HPV-negative locally advanced (LA) HNSCC patients.Methods Treatment-naive tumour tissue samples of 404 patients, a subset of randomised Phase 3 trial comparing cisplatin radiation (CRT) versus nimotuzumab plus cisplatin radiation (NCRT) were analysed to evaluate the expression of HIF1α, EGFR and pEGFR by immunohistochemistry and EGFR gene copy change by FISH. Progression-free survival (PFS), locoregional control (LRC) and overall survival (OS) were estimated by Kaplan–Meier method. Hazard ratios were estimated by Cox proportional hazard models.Results Baseline characteristics of the patients were balanced between two treatment groups (CRT vs NCRT) and were representative of the trial cohort. The median follow-up was of 39.13 months. Low HIF1α was associated with better PFS [HR (95% CI) = 0.62 (0.42–0.93)], LRC [HR (95% CI) = 0.56 (0.37–0.86)] and OS [HR (95% CI) = 0.63 (0.43–0.93)] in the CRT group. Multivariable analysis revealed HIF1α as an independent negative prognostic biomarker. For patients with high HIF1α, NCRT significantly improved the outcomes [PFS:HR (95% CI) = 0.55 (0.37–0.82), LRC:HR (95% CI) = 0.55 (0.36–0.85) and OS:HR (95% CI) = 0.54 (0.36–0.81)] compared to CRT. While in patients with low HIF1α, no difference in the clinical outcomes was observed between treatments. Interaction test suggested a predictive value of HIF1α for OS (P = 0.008).Conclusions High HIF1α expression is a predictor of poor clinical response to CRT in HPV-negative LA-HNSCC patients. These patients with high HIF1α significantly benefited with the addition of nimotuzumab to CRT.Clinical trial registration Registered with the Clinical Trial Registry of India (Trial registration identifier—CTRI/2014/09/004980).Subject terms: Tumour biomarkers, Head and neck cancer, Tumour biomarkers, Head and neck cancer, Predictive markers     

Oral Valganciclovir Is Noninferior to Intravenous Ganciclovir for the Treatment of Cytomegalovirus Disease in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients

Intravenous ganciclovir is the standard treatment for cytomegalovirus disease in solid organ transplant recipients. Oral valganciclovir is a more convenient alternative. In a randomized, international trial, recipients with cytomegalovirus disease were treated with either 900 mg oral valganciclovir or 5 mg/kg i.v. ganciclovir twice daily for 21 days, followed by 900 mg daily valganciclovir for 28 days. A total of 321 patients were evaluated (valganciclovir [n = 164]; i.v. ganciclovir [n = 157]). The success rate of viremia eradication at Day 21 was 45.1% for valganciclovir and 48.4% for ganciclovir (95% CI -14.0% to +8.0%), and at Day 49; 67.1% and 70.1%, respectively (p = NS). Treatment success, as assessed by investigators, was 77.4% versus 80.3% at Day 21 and 85.4% versus 84.1% at Day 49 (p = NS). Baseline viral loads were not different between groups and decreased exponentially with similar half-lives and median time to eradication (21 vs. 19 days, p = 0.076). Side-effects and discontinuations of assigned treatment (18 of 321 patients) were comparable. Oral valganciclovir shows comparable safety and is not inferior to i.v. ganciclovir for treatment of cytomegalovirus disease in organ transplant recipients and provides a simpler treatment strategy, but care should be taken in extrapolating to organ transplant recipients not properly represented in the present study.     

Radiological features of pulmonary tuberculosis in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus

We tested 120 consecutive admissions with sputum positive pulmonary tuberculosis for antibodies to the human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV-1). Pre-treatment chest x-ray appearances were recorded. Seventy one patients (59%) were males and 49 (41%) were females. 43 (35.8%) patients were seropositive for HIV, and were all in the age range 16-45 years. The seropositivity for the 56 males and 44 females in the age range 16-45 years were 53 and 26 percent respectively. Atypical x-ray features were found in 21 of 43 cases compared to 15 of 57 referents (p less than 0.025). Radiographic features typical of reactivation pulmonary tuberculosis in the adult were found in 73% and 51% of referents and cases respectively (P less than 0.025). Pulmonary lesions localized to the mid and or lower zones were seen in 20 percent of cases and 3.3% of referents (P = 0.01). Mediastinal and or hilar adenopathy alone or with pulmonary infiltrates occurred more frequently among cases but the results were not significant. Our findings indicate that radiological appearances of pulmonary tuberculosis in patients seropositive for HIV-1 antibodies tend to be atypical in type of lesion and or anatomic distribution, even for patients from communities with high prevalence rates of tuberculosis.     

Skin cancers and precancerous lesions in Parkinson's disease patients.

Our objective was to evaluate the frequency of neoplastic and preneoplastic skin lesions in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients when compared with an aged-matched population. We performed a cross-sectional survey in PD patients and in an age-matched control group. Patients and controls were examined by a movement disorder specialist and a dermatologist. 150 PD patients and 146 controls were included. Thirty-five PD patients (23.3%) presented skin lesions that could be classified as neoplastic or preneoplastic vs. 20 subjects in the control group (13.7%) (OR 95%, CI 1.92 [1.05, 3.51]). However, this difference lost statistical significance when adjusted for gender (recruitment of controls was matched just for age with an over representation of males in the PD group). Twenty-nine PD patients (19%) presented actinic keratosis and basal cell carcinoma was diagnosed in 4 patients (3%). Although nonconclusive, our results are in agreement with previous studies suggesting an increased risk of skin cancer in PD patients. The frequency of actinic keratosis in PD patients and the associated risk to develop melanoma recommends its screening in future epidemiological studies.     

Development of a transformation system for Crinipellis perniciosa,the causal agent of witches' broom in cocoa plants

Protoplasts of the pathogenic plant fungus, Crinipellis perniciosa, were transformed to hygromycin B resistance using the pAN7-1 plasmid, which contains the Escherichia coli hph gene under the control of Aspergillus nidulans regulatory sequences. The pAN7-1 plasmid was introduced by PEG/CaCl(2) treatment. Transformation frequencies of 1.6-2.5 transformants/microg of DNA were achieved. About 54% of the transformants were abortive and 40 analyzed transformants were mitotically stable and showed different hygromycin B resistance levels. The presence of the hph gene was checked by PCR in five transformants and the integration of multiple plasmid copies into different genome sites was observed by Southern analysis. This is the first report of a C. perniciosa transformation system and represents an important step for further research into genetic manipulation of this fungal plant pathogen.     

Characterisation of non-multiresistant methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (including EMRSA-15) in Kuwait Hospitals

This study characterised non-multiresistant methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (nmMRSA) isolates from Kuwait hospitals to ascertain whether they were community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA). Forty-two nmMRSA isolates obtained between July 2001 and October 2003 were analysed by staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) typing, bacteriophage typing, production of Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL), urease and staphylococcal enterotoxins A, B, C and D, TSST-1, and by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Forty-one isolates were SCCmec type IV, and one isolate was SCCmec type III. The isolates belonged to six PFGE patterns, with two types, A and D, distributed in six and four hospitals, respectively. Most (n = 26; 61.9%) isolates produced urease. These isolates were mainly from wound and skin infections, showed low-level methicillin resistance (MIC 8-48 mg/L), and nine carried genes for PVL. These characteristics, together with their carriage of the type-IV SCCmec, identified the isolates as CA-MRSA. Ten of the 16 urease-negative isolates produced staphylococal enterotoxin C; 12 reacted weakly with phage 75, and were resistant to clindamycin and/or erythromycin, which are characteristics of EMRSA-15. Thus, this study identified the co-existence of two types of nmMRSA, i.e., CA-MRSA and EMRSA-15, in Kuwait hospitals.     

Soluble IL-2 receptor and tumour necrosis factor-alpha in plasma of haemophilia patients infected with HIV.

We measured plasma concentrations of soluble receptors for IL-2 (sIL-2R) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in 149 haemophilia patients. Soluble IL-2R levels were elevated in 37% of 62 HIV-seronegative patients (mean 570 +/- 27 U/ml versus 361 +/- 17 U/ml in the control group, P less than 0.0001), in 78% of 68 HIV-seropositive patients (928 +/- 49 U/ml, P less than 0.0001), and in 95% of 19 AIDS/ARC patients (1578 +/- 199 U/ml, P less than 0.0001 compared with controls and with HIV-seronegative patients; P less than 0.005 compared with HIV-seropositive asymptomatic patients). A negative correlation was observed between sIL-2R, relative and absolute numbers of CD4+ cells (P less than 0.0001), and CD4/CD8 ratios (P less than 0.0001). There was also a negative correlation between sIL-2R in plasma and the cellular expression of IL-2R (P less than 0.001). We found a significant association of sIL-2R and plasma neopterin (P less than 0.0001). With progression of the disease from HIV-seronegative to seropositive without symptoms and to full manifestation of AIDS/ARC, sIL-2R plasma levels increased. The highest levels were found at the time of diagnosis of AIDS/ARC, but the levels decreased again during the following 18 months. Eight per cent of HIV-seronegative patients, 32% of HIV-seropositive patients, and 24% of patients with AIDS/ARC had increased plasma TNF-alpha. We conclude that sIL-2R and TNF-alpha plasma levels are elevated in HIV-infected haemophilia patients and that sIL-2R is a marker for disease progression from asymptomatic HIV-seropositive to AIDS/ARC.