Oncologists and scientists in the field of head and neck cancer exchanged their research findings and clinical experiences in the Sino-USA Symposium on Head and Neck Cancer, which was held January 6-7, 2012 in Guangzhou, China. The symposium was jointly organized by Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (SYSUCC) and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC). The Guangdong Provincial Anti-Cancer Association and the Chinese Journal of Cancer also helped in organizing the conference. Speakers were from China (SYSUCC, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, and Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center) and the United States (MDACC). The presentations covered most kinds of head and neck cancers and included both basic and clinical research progress. In particular, NPC was discussed in depth. The symposium explored the reality that cancer is complex and numerous questions remain to be answered, even though there has already been an enormous effort into research. International exchanges of experience and in-depth cooperation are definitely needed to improve our capability of caring for cancer patients. In this article, we provide highlights of the presentations.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; genetics ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; etiology ; genetics ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; therapy ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; epidemiology

PURPOSE: KAI1 COOH-terminal interacting tetraspanin (KITENIN) has been found to act as a promoter of metastasis in murine models of colon cancer and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The suppression of tumor progression and metastasis of established colon cancer in mice was observed after intravenous delivery of small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting KITENIN. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of gene therapy targeting KITENIN in human head and neck SCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: SNU-1041, a well-established human hypopharyngeal SCC cell line, was used. KITENIN expression in SNU-1041 was measured by Western blot analysis. The cells were prepared, maintained in culture dishes with media, and divided into two groups: the si-KITENIN group and the scrambled group (control). The siRNA targeting KITENIN (si-KITENIN) and scrambled DNA were transfected into the SNU-1041 cells in each group. The effect of gene therapy was compared by in vitro experiments to evaluate invasion, migration, and proliferation. RESULTS: KITENIN was strongly expressed in the SNU-1041 cells, and the number of invaded cells was reduced more in the si-KITENIN group than in the scrambled group (p<0.001). The speed for the narrowing gap, made through adherent cells, was lower in the si-KITENIN group (p<0.001), and the number of viable proliferating cells was reduced in the si-KITENIN group compared to the scrambled group (p<0.001, the third day). KITENIN protein expression was no longer identified in the si-KITENIN group. CONCLUSION: Gene therapy using an anti-KITENIN strategy might be effective for head and neck squamous carcinoma.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/genetics/pathology/*therapy ; Carrier Proteins/*antagonists & inhibitors/genetics ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Movement ; Cell Proliferation ; *Gene Therapy ; Head and Neck Neoplasms/genetics/pathology/*therapy ; Humans ; Membrane Proteins/*antagonists & inhibitors/genetics ; *RNA, Small Interfering

OBJECTIVE: Synovial sarcoma (SS) of the head and neck is rare in comparison with those took place in the extremities. This study was planned to investigate the relationship between pathological diagnosis, tumor location and clinical outcome of SS of the head and neck. METHOD: Thirty-nine cases of SS in head and neck hospitalized in West China Hospital from 1966 to 2011 was retrospectively studied by reviewing the medical record data, the pathological slices of the operative specimen and followed-up from 1 to 192 months with the mean time of 43.2 months postoperatively. The parameters of clinical outcome were focused on the time to first recurrence after primary surgery and follow-up time. The reviewed results were statistically processed. RESULT: The age of the patients ranged from 8 to 66 years old with the median age of 35, among them 27 are males. Pathologically, 18 cases are biphasic, 17 cases are monophasic and 3 cases are low-differentiated SS. 4 cases were proved by cytogenetic methods of either fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH) or RT-PCR. 23 cases experienced repeated recurrence with the most up to 4 times operations after sole surgical approach. Only one lymphatic metastasis was suspected in all. 16 patients got adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapy. 4 patients died but only one death was associated directly with SS recurrence. There was no significant relationship between pathological subtype and recurrence (Fisher's Exact Test P-value > 0.05), no significant relationship between tumor location and recurrence (Fisher's Exact Test P-value > 0.05). CONCLUSION SS of head and neck is a special entity that has potential of easy recurrence but good prognosis. Surgery should still be the primary treatment approach. Cytogenetic methods are recommended to as certain the diagnosis in order to choose reasonable treatment protocols.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; China ; Female ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; therapy ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Retrospective Studies ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sarcoma, Synovial ; genetics ; pathology ; therapy ; Young Adult

Carcinoma ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor ; metabolism ; pathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Gene Rearrangement ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; radiotherapy ; Humans ; Keratin-20 ; metabolism ; Keratin-7 ; metabolism ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Mediastinal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; radiotherapy ; Melanoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive ; metabolism ; pathology ; Nuclear Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Oncogene Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rhabdomyosarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Thymus Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; radiotherapy