Journal of Cancer Research and Therapeutics
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Item Implementation of meta-analysis approach, comparing conventional radiotherapy, and proton beam therapy treating head and neck cancer(Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd., 2020-07) Shaikh, Firdous; Sodhi, Sonia Kaur; Kale, Lata M; Talib, Yusuf A; Saleem, Huma MdIntroduction: Radiation therapy is commonly used in the treatment of head and neck cancer in both the definitive and postoperative settings. Proton therapy, due to its intrinsic physical properties, has the ability to reduce the integral dose delivered to the patients while maintaining highly conformal target coverage Materials and Methods:.A literature search was performed on scientific databases, and Preferred Reporting Items for Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed to compute results. Only original studies were selected. Selected studies were used to extract some proposed data for comparison, dosimetry, site, complications, and survival. Results: Proton beam therapy technology can be used against the conventional radiotherapy and shows satisfactory results. Yet conventional therapy is not less advantageous considering the amount of work available for any cross interpretations. Conclusion: Comparative preplanning could be beneficial considering multiple therapies for ruling out the best treatment outcomes that could be expectedItem Validity of 3-Tesla diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging for distinction of reactive and metastatic lymph nodes in head-and-neck carcinoma(Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd., 2020-07) K, Vijayalakshmi; PH, Raghuram; K, Saravanan; CL, Krithika; A, KannanObjectives: The objective was to study the relationship of 3-Tesla (3T) diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) with apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value for distinction of reactive and metastatic lymph nodes (LNs) in head-and-neck carcinoma (HNC) patients and to determine the ADC cutoff value for metastatic LNs at various levels. Materials and Methods: 3T DW and T1- and T2-weighted imaging sequences were done in 34 patients with biopsy-proven primary HNC of 100 cervical LNs ≥1 cm in diameter. The mean ADC values were compared with histopathologically proven LNs using the independent t-test. ADC cutoff value was evaluated with sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Results: The mean ADC value of reactive LN was 1.2933 × 10-3 mm2/s and metastatic LN was 0.908 × 10-3 mm2/s. An ADC cutoff value was 0.868 × 10-3 mm2/s with 84% sensitivity, 96% specificity, 93% accuracy, 87.5% positive predictive value, and 94.7% negative predictive value. A significant difference in mean ADC value between reactive and metastatic LNs was noted (P< 0.001). Conclusion: 3T DW-MRI is useful in differentiating reactive and metastatic cervical LNs in HNC patients. However, studies with larger sample size have to be performed to validate ADC threshold value with 3T DW-MRI in differentiating between reactive and metastatic LNs for clinical practiceItem Tumor-associated tissue eosinophilia versus tumor associated blood eosinophilia: A ratio of diagnostic importance in oral squamous cell carcinoma(Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd., 2020-07) Verma, Flora; Juneja, Saurabh; Tandon, Ankita; Shetty, Devi CharanIntroduction: Eosinophils are multifunctional granulocytes, which play a pivotal role in health and disease. Tumor Associated Tissue Eosinophilia (TATE) has long been evaluated in the diagnosis and progression of oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs). However, their association with Tumor Associated Blood Eosinophilia (TABE) in OSCCs is still far fetched. We, therefore, attempted to evaluate their individual roles and to achieve a ratio between TATE and TABE in order to signify its usage in objectifying the diagnosis. Materials and Methods: TATE was evaluated using H and E stain per 10 high power fields in 33 previously diagnosed cases of OSCC which were retrieved from department archives. TABE values were achieved from complete blood hemogram reports of patients. TATE/TABE ratio was calculated. All the parameters were clinicopathologically correlated and statistically evaluated using SPSS. Results: TATE represented higher values in well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (WDSCC) and poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (PDSCC) and was least in moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (MDSCC), whereas TABE linearly increased from WDSCC to PDSCC. TNM Stage II cases revealed the highest TATE and lowest TABE. TATE/TABE ratio was the highest in WDSCC. Conclusion: Due to the dual nature of eosinophils in early and late carcinogenesis events, evaluation of only TATE might not be conclusive in determining tumor grade. Hence, in a first of its kind attempt, the TATE/TABE ratio may be suitable to achieve a criterion for the determination of tumor grade and may also help to unfold the underlying biologic eventsItem Comparative evaluation of survivin expression in leukoplakia, lichen planus, and oral squamous cell carcinoma: An immunohistochemical study(Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd., 2020-07) D, Angelin; Nair, Bindu JBackground: Screening for oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) and oral premalignant lesions may decrease the devastating morbidity and mortality associated with the disease. This has led to widespread research for the identification of molecular-based biomarkers. Among them, survivin is a recently characterized protein which is a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis family. The aim of this study is evaluating the expression of survivin in oral leukoplakia, oral lichen planus, and OSCC compared with normal mucosa. Materials and Methods: The retrospective study consisted of twenty cases of oral leukoplakia, oral lichen planus, and OSCC in the age group of 20–70 years. Twenty cases of normal mucosa made up the control group. Immunohistochemical staining was performed with the use of survivin polyclonal antibody. Grades of expression of survivin were evaluated. Kruskal–Wallis test was used for statistical analysis. Results: The expression of survivin was higher in OSCC (80%) when compared to oral leukoplakia (70%), oral lichen planus (45%), and normal mucosa (35%). The variation in the expression of survivin between the samples was statistically significant with P = 0.015 (Kruskal–Wallis test significant at 0.01 level). Conclusion: It is concluded that survivin can be identified as a useful tool for the identification of potentially malignant disorders at higher risk for progression into invasive carcinomaItem Volume changes during head-and-neck radiotherapy and its impact on the parotid dose – A single-institution observational study(Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd., 2020-07) Ilangovan, Bhargavi; Venkatraman, Murali; Balasundaram, SubathiraAims: This study aims at assessing the volume changes that occur in the targets (gross tumor volume and planning target volume [PTV]) and the organs at risk in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck during radiotherapy and assessing the dose changes that occur as a result of them. Settings and Design: This was a prospective observational study in a tertiary care center after obtaining the appropriate scientific and ethics committee clearance. Subjects and Methods: Forty-five patients diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, who were treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy in the time period from March 2018 to May 2019, were enrolled in the study. A planning computed tomography (CT) scan (CTplan) was done for all patients, followed by scans after 15 fractions (CT15) and after 25 fractions (CT25). The volume changes and the subsequent dose changes were assessed and recorded. Statistical Analysis Used: Data entry was done in MS Excel spreadsheet. The continuous variables were expressed as mean + standard deviation. The comparison of normally distributed continuous variables was done by paired t-test. Data analysis was done by SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) version 16.0. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. A multivariate linear regression model was constructed to study the correlation between mean dose to the parotid glands and the other variables. All statistical modeling and analysis were done using SAS (Statistical Analysis Software) version 9.4. Results: Of the 45 patients, 25 were male and 20 were female. The majority of the patients had malignancies in the oral cavity (16) and hypopharynx (14). Most of them had Stage III/IV (AJCC v 8) disease (41). There were a 36% decrease in the PTV-high risk (PTV-HR) volume and a 6.05% decrease in the PTV-intermediate risk (PTV-IR) volume CT15. In CT25, the volume decrease in the PTV-HR and the PTV-IR was 47% and 9.06%, respectively. The parotid glands also underwent a reduction in their volume which has been quantified as 21.7% and 20.9% in the ipsilateral and contralateral parotids in CT15 and 36% and 33.6% in CT25, respectively. The D2 (dose received by 2% of the volume) and D98 (dose received by 98% of the volume) of the PTV-IR showed changes of +3.5% and –0.2% in CT15 and + 4.6% and –0.31% in CT25, respectively. The homogeneity index and conformity number of the PTV-IR changes by 0.03 and 0.08 in CT15 and by 0.04 and 0.12 in CT25, respectively. The mean dose to the ipsilateral parotid gland increased by 14% in CT15 and 19% in CT25. The mean dose to the contralateral parotid gland increased by 17% in CT15 and 25% in CT25. Conclusion: The dose to the parotid glands increases as a result of the changes that occur during the course of radiation. The changes are significant after 15 fractions of radiation. A replanning at this juncture might be considered to reduce the dose to the parotid glandsItem Clinical and dosimetric impact of adaptive intensity-modulated radiotherapy in locally advanced head-and-neck cancer(Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd., 2020-07) Maheshwari, Guncha; Dhanawat, Aditya; Kumar, Harvindra S; Sharma, Neeti; Jakhar, Shankar LalBackground: Radiotherapy in head-and-neck cancer (HNC) is a challenging task, and the anatomical alterations occurring during the course of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) can be compensated by adaptive radiotherapy (ART) which utilizes repeat computed tomography (CT) scans during the treatment course for replanning. In this study, the clinical and dosimetric benefits of ART were compared with the conventional IMRT. Materials and Methods: Sixty patients with locally advanced HNC were randomized into two arms to receive IMRT up to a curative dose of 70 Gy with concurrent weekly chemotherapy and were prospectively analyzed between March 2018 and March 2019. Repeat CT scan was acquired after the 3rd week of radiation. Patients in the study arm underwent replanning, whereas those in the control arm continued with the first IMRT plan. Assessment was done weekly till the end of treatment and at 1, 3, and 6 months post IMRT for disease response and toxicities. Tumor volume reduction rate (TVRR) and dose reduction to organs at risk were also recorded. Results: Complete response was observed in 90% and 96.7% patients in the control and study arms, respectively, at the end of 6 months. Insignificant differences were found between the two arms in terms of toxicities. Xerostomia was statistically significantly higher in the control arm at 6 months (P = 0.01). TVRR was found to be 31.85%. Dose to spinal cord, ipsilateral, and contralateral parotid reduced by 4.3%, 6%, and 2.2%, respectively, with ART. Conclusion: Mid-treatment adaptive replanning can help in better target coverage and minimize toxicities in HNC patientsItem Immunohistochemical expression of p53 and murine double minute 2 protein in odontogenic keratocyst versus variants of ameloblastoma(Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd., 2020-07) Singh, Abhishek; Jain, Anshi; Shetty, Devi Charan; Rathore, Ajit Singh; Juneja, SaurabhIntroduction: Oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes play a major role in cancer formation, growth, and progression. One of the important findings in this area is that murine double minute 2 (MDM2) oncogene is a negative regulator of wild-type p53. In tumors, expressing wild-type p53, inhibition of MDM2 expression will stabilize p53 and allow it to perform its proapoptotic function, while simultaneously preventing MDM2 from exerting its p53-independent oncogenic effects. The intracellular levels of p53 are tightly regulated by MDM2, as it is a key player in autoregulatory feedback loop under nonstressed conditions. The p53-MDM2 relationship is vital not only for essential functions of the cell, but it also appears to be an integrated part of the complex cellular network which supports the importance of this affair and is a hallmark for its coexistence. Subjects and Methods: This study was designed to identify immunohistochemically the expression of p53 and MDM2 gene using monoclonal antibody in 60 cases of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks, of which 20 cases were of solid multicystic ameloblastoma (SMA), 20 cases were of odontogenic keratocyst (OKC), and 20 cases were of unicystic ameloblastoma (UA). Results: Immunoexpression of p53 and MDM2 was highest in OKC followed by SMA and was minimum in UA. Further results showed positive correlation between both the molecules. Conclusion: The studied showed that the relationship has a significant role in cancer etiology and progression and therefore is an important topic for future research which should help in the development of new therapeutic agent against cancerItem Stage-specific expression analysis ofMMP-2 & MMP-9 in laryngeal carcinoma(Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd., 2020-07) Bakshi, Jaimanti; Goyal, Atul Kumar; Singh, Virender; Sannigrahi, Malay; Khullar, MadhuAim of the Study: Both matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is involved in degradation of extracellular matrix and found to stimulate invasion and metastasis in cancer patients. However, studies on the stage-specific expression of MMPs at different stages of larynx carcinoma are still lacking. In the present study, we compare the expression level of MMP-2 and MMP-9 at different stages of laryngeal carcinoma. Material and Methods: Tumor tissues samples were taken from larynx cancer patients by deep biopsy during direct laryngoscopy. Gene expression for MMP-2 and MMP-9 was analyzed using RT-PCR. Results: Significantly high expression of MMP-2 was observed compared to the MMP-9 at stage IV compared to the less advanced stages of the disease. Conclusion: Present study concluded that the MMP-2 expressed with a greater magnitude as compared to the MMP-9 in advance stages of laryngeal carcinomaItem Correlation of maximum dose in PTV and the need for in-hospital supportive care during radiotherapy for H and N cancer patients(Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd., 2020-07) Verma, Kamal; Kumawat, Naveen; Goel, Sandeep; Pande, Subodh Chandra; Sharma, Ajendra PratapContext: An objective conformal radiotherapy treatment planning criteria that can predict severity of early effects of radiotherapy would be quite useful in reducing the side effects of radiotherapy thereby improving quality of life for head and neck cancer patients. Aim of Study: Retrospective study aimed at correlating the maximum dose in planning target volume (PTV) with early effects of radiation. Materials and Methods: Patients with squamous cell carcinoma of H and N region who received radical radiotherapy and concomitant chemotherapy were retrospectively analyzed for maximum dose in PTV and the requirement of gap during radiotherapy or else hospitalization for supportive care during or up to 1 month after completion of radical radiotherapy. Results: Of a total of 23 patients, 8 patients (34.7%) required a gap of 2–14 days during their treatment. Twelve patients (52.1%) required hospitalization for 1–4 days and 4 patients (17.3%) required hospitalization for supportive care after completion of radiotherapy. The maximum dose in PTV ranged from 105.1% to 132.8% with an average of 112.68%. Subgroup analysis revealed a nonsignificant highest maximum dose of 114.72% in subset of patients requiring gap during radiotherapy (n= 8). Conclusion: It was concluded that maximum dose in PTV is a useful predictor of need for inhospital supportive careItem Quality of life of head and neck cancer patients before and after cancer-directed treatment – A longitudinal study(Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd., 2020-07) Abroo Bashir; Kumar, Dinesh; Dewan, Deepika; Sharma, RahulContext: Head-and-neck cancer (HNC) is a major health problem worldwide and even disproportionately bigger in India. Their diagnosis and treatment create severe impact on the quality of life (QOL). We chose to study such patients because we were already reporting these cancers to the Indian Council of Medical Research as part of project titled “Pattern of care and survival studies.” Aims: The aim of the study is to assess and compare QOL of H and N cancer patients before and after the completion of cancer-directed treatment (CDT). Settings and Design: The present study was a hospital-based study conducted in the tertiary care hospital of Jammu with longitudinal study design. Subjects and Methods: All newly diagnosed HNC patients registered with the Department of Radiotherapy and ENT on inpatient or outpatient basis were included over a period of 6 months. Each patient was followed for 4–6 weeks after the completion of CDT. QOL was assessed by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (QLQ C30) (general) and EORTC QLQ H and N-35 (specific) questionnaires. Statistical Analysis: Paired t-test was calculated to compare pre- and postmean scores. Pre- and post-Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient was also calculated. Results: The most frequent site was larynx followed by the oral cavity. Regarding both EORTC QLQ C-30 questionnaire and Global health status and EORTC H and N-35 specific questionnaires, the mean scores across all domains showed worsening of QoL from their baseline. The worsening was more severe in emotional function (functional scale), while physical, cognitive, and social functions were comparatively less affected. Pain, swallowing, speech, and mouth problems were most worsened. Conclusions: QoL showed worsening after CDT in all domains due to acute and subacute adverse effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in treatment courseItem Correlation of planning target volume with mucositis for head-and-neck cancer patients undergoing chemoradiation(Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd., 2020-07) Manur, Janaki Gururajachar; Vidyasagar, NishantContext: Head-and-neck cancer patients undergoing chemoradiation. Aims: The aim of the study was to see if there is any correlation between the planning target volume (PTV) and mucositis. Settings and Design: This was a single-arm prospective study. Subjects and Methods: A total of forty head-and-neck cancer patients undergoing chemoradiation were assessed for mucositis at the 5th week. The grades of mucositis were correlated with PTVs of low risk (54 Gy) and high risk (60–66 Gy). Statistical Analysis Used: The data were analyzed using the statistical software, SPSS Inc. Release 2009, predictive analytics software statistics for windows version 20.0, Chicago. Log transformation was done as the data were skewed. Independent t-test was used to compare between the two grades of toxicity. P <0.01 was considered for statistical significance. Results: The mean PTVlow risk was 522cc (228–771) and PTVhigh risk was 254cc (20–780). Grade II mucositis was seen in 27 (67%) patients and Grade III in 11 (28%) patients. The mean PTVlow risk was higher for patients, who had Grade III compared to Grade II mucositis (571 vs. 517 cc, P = 0.052). Conclusions: The same was seen for PTVhigh risk(367 vs. 222 cc, P = 0.017). PTV is a better predictor of mucositis, and those patients with larger PTV require close monitoring and early intervention of mucositisItem Metronomic palliative chemotherapy in locally advanced, recurrent and metastatic head-and-neck cancer: A single-arm, retrospective study of a regional cancer center of North India (Asia)(Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd., 2020-07) Harsh, Kamlesh Kumar; Maharia, Sita Ram; Nirban, Raj Kumar; Khatri, Pramila; Beniwal, Surenderkumar; Kumar, Harvinder Singh; Jakhar, Shankar LalBackground: Head-and-neck cancer is the most common cancer in developing countries of Southeast Asia. Most of the patients present to the hospital in advanced stage and have a poor prognosis. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity profile of oral metronomic chemotherapy (MCT) in the form of methotrexate and celecoxib in locally advanced, recurrent and metastatic head-and-neck cancers. Materials and Methods: This was a single-arm retrospective observational study that included posttreatment patients with locally advanced, recurrent and metastatic disease in the year 2016 (January 1, to December 31, 2016). A total of 84 patients warranting palliative chemotherapy but not willing to take intravenous chemotherapy were included in the study. The oral MCT schedule consisted of oral celecoxib (200 mg twice daily) and oral methotrexate (15 mg/m2/week). Response evaluation was done using the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors criteria version 1.1, and toxicity profile was assessed using the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.03. Descriptive statistics and Kaplan–Meier analysis were performed. Results: Eighty-four patients, 68 males and 16 females, with a median age of 62 years (range: 35–80 years), were enrolled in the study to receive oral MCT. The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status was 0–1 in 62 patients and 2–3 in 22 patients. The primary sites of disease were buccal mucosa (18), tongue (22), tonsil (24), lower alveolus (7), hypopharynx (10), and soft palate (3). The best clinical response rate in post oral MCT was seen in the first 4 months (120 days). Objective response was observed in 67% of patients in the form of stable disease (56%) and partial response (11%). Disease progression was observed in 27% of patients. The median follow-up was 192 (6.4 months) days. The median estimated overall survival was 195 (6.5 months) days. The median estimated progression-free survival was 110 (3.6 months) days. Symptomatic relief with respect to pain was reported in about 75% of patients. Eighteen (21%) patients had Grade I–II mucosal reactions. Grade III–IV mucosal reactions were observed in five (6%) patients. Seventy-eight (93%) patients died at the end of the study at 1 year. Dose reduction was required in 15 (18%) patients. Conclusion: Oral MCT using celecoxib and methotrexate is an effective, economical, and well-tolerated regimen with good pain control and low toxicity profile in patients with locally advanced, recurrent and metastatic head-and-neck cancer.Item Comparison of radiation and chemoradiation-induced sensorineural hearing loss in head and neck cancer patients(Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd., 2020-07) Mahdavi, Seied Rabi; Rezaeyan, Abolhasan; Nikoofar, Alireza; Bakhshandeh, Mohsen; Farahani, Saeid; Cheraghi, SusanAim: The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the incidence and severity of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in head-and-neck patients undergoing radiotherapy (RT) and concurrent cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Materials and Methods: Pure tone audiometry (PTA) was performed at 0.25–12 kHz on 35 RT and 25 CRT patients after 12-month followed up. The hearing loss was evaluated according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) criteria. Results: SNHL increased to 84% in patients who had received CRT, compared with 26% increasing in patients who had treated with RT. There was an increased risk of SNHL at all frequencies for ears received a cochlear mean dose >50 Gy in RT group, compared to those receiving cochlear mean dose >30 Gy in CRT group. SNHL was more severe at higher frequencies in both patient groups. Conclusion: Characteristic of radiation-induced SNHL is different from CRT-induced SNHL, especially in threshold radiation dose and PTA frequency.Item Knowing the unknown in oral squamous cell carcinoma: An observational study(Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd., 2020-07) Gupta, Shruti; Kamboj, Mala; Narwal, AnjaliIntroduction: Conventional oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is relatively easy to diagnose on histopathology, as it comprises dysplastic epithelial cells with variable degrees of squamous differentiation. Different grading systems have been employed in grading OSCC based on its dysplastic features and host response. Some unusual features such as clear cell change, epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), stromal hyalinization, stromal desmoplasia, perineural invasion, vascular invasion, tissue eosinophilia, giant cells, and tertiary lymphoid follicle formation are evident in OSCC histologically but have not yet been accounted in any grading systems of OSCC except perineural and vascular invasion. Aim: The aim of the present study was to identify these uncommon features and to correlate them with different grades of OSCC. Materials and Methods:This study was conducted on 100 histopathologically confirmed OSCC cases retrieved from the archives of our department. They were graded on the basis of Broder's grading system and were reviewed for the features mentioned above. Data collected were subjected to statistical analysis. Results: Clear cell change, EMT, foreign body giant cells, and tumor giant cells were observed in 13%, 20%, 1%, and 3% of cases, respectively. We found stromal desmoplasia in 15% and stromal hyalinization in 9% of cases. Tissue eosinophilia, tertiary lymphoid follicle formation, and perineural invasion were observed in 12%, 3%, and 2% of cases, respectively. Vascular invasion was not evident in any of the cases examined. Conclusion: The incidence of the unusual features was 7.8% in our study.Item Comparison of extraoral and intraoral routes of glossopharyngeal nerve block for pain relief in patient with carcinoma tongue: A prospective randomized study(Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd., 2020-07) Singh, Neetu; Singh, Sarita; Mishra, Neel Kamal; Kumar, Vijay; Hemlata; Gautam, ShefaliBackground and Objective: Glossopharyngeal nerve block (GNB) technique has been used as alternative of treatment of cancer and noncancer pain of the oral cavity. The objective of the study is to compare the two approaches (extraoral and intraoral) of GNB in patients of carcinoma of the tongue in terms of efficacy, duration, and complications. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective comparative randomized study over a period of 1 year. Fifty patients of either sex of ASA physical status and 2, between 21 and 70 years of age, suffering from carcinoma of the tongue, were selected. The patients were randomly divided into two groups. Group I received 4 mL of 0.5% bupivacaine combined with 40 mg, of triamcinolonacetonide by extraoral approach of GNB, and Group II received the same amount of drug by intraoral approach of GNB. Hemodynamic parameters, degree of pain relief using visual analog scale (VAS), number of attempts, effect on quality of life (QOL), and complication were noted during the performance of GNB. Results: Demographic profile in both groups was comparable. Rate of complication and number of attempts to complete intervention were higher in Group I, which was found to be statistically significant. However, mean VAS scores in Group I were significantly higher as compared to those in Group II during most of the study period starting from the 1st follow-up at 30 min to the 2nd month postintervention (P < 0.05). No statistically significant difference in mean QOL scores of two groups was observed for the entire study period except at 1 week when mean scores in Group I were higher as compared to those in Group II (P = 0.011). Conclusion: The intraoral approach of GNB was better with respect to pain control and improvement in QOL whereas the rate of complication and number of attempts was lower in extraoral approach of GNBItem Salivary L-fucose as a biomarker for oral potentially malignant disorders and oral cancer(Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd., 2020-07) Sharma, Mudita; Sharma, Eklavya; Prabhu, Vishnudas; Pai, Vinitha Ramanath; D'souza, Jyothi MP; Sindhu, Harish; Jose, MajiBackground: The objective of this study was to evaluate the serum and salivary L-fucose in oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) and oral cancer (OC) in order to investigate the possibility of using this as biomarker for early diagnosis. Materials and Methods: The study included 85 participants, who were grouped as control (30), OPMDs patients (25), and OC patients (30). Serum and unstimulated whole saliva were collected from participants of all groups and fucose estimation was done using spectrophotometry. The results were tabulated and analyzed statistically. Results: The mean serum L-fucose levels in normal, OPMDs, and OC group were 3.49, 19.18, and 35.75 mg/dl, respectively, while the levels of salivary L-fucose were 3.18, 7.02, and 11.66 mg/dl, respectively. A highly significant rise (P < 0.001) in serum and salivary L-fucose was observed in the study participants compared to control. Conclusions: The present study showed a significant and gradual increase in serum and salivary L-fucose from control to OPMDs to OC. From this study, we suggest that L-fucose can be used as a reliable biomarker and saliva can be used as a diagnostic fluid for screening and early detection of OCItem Evaluating different radiotherapy treatment plans, in terms of critical organ scoring index, conformity index, tumor control probability, and normal tissue complication probability calculations in early glottic larynx carcinoma(Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd., 2020-07) Inal, Aysun; Duman, Evrim; Ozkan, Elif EPurpose: In this study, it is aimed to compare three different radiotherapy treatment planning techniques in terms of critical organ scoring index (COSI), two different conformity index (CI), tumor control probability (TCP), and normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) calculations in early (T1) glottic larynx carcinoma (T1GL). Furthermore, it is aimed to investigate these parameters compliance with dose-volume histograms (DVH) parameters. Materials and Methods: Ten T1GL patients were immobilized in a supine position with a head and neck thermoplastic mask. Treatment plans were created with opposed lateral fields (OLAFs) and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) techniques with a total dose of 66 Gy in 33 fraction with 2 Gy/day. IMRT fields were selected as five fields (5IMRT) and seven fields (7IMRT). Dosimetric evaluation of three different treatment plans for T1GL carcinoma was performed in two consequential steps. First step was the assessment of planning target volume (PTV), all organs at risks (OARs), and normal tissue (NT) dose calculations according to given dose constraint directions and comparing the plans via DVH. In the second step, for PTV, the compatibility of DVH data with CIs-TCP was investigated where COSI-NTCP was compared with DVH for OARs. The DVH data were considered as reference in all evaluations. Results: The CIRTOG mean values were significantly closer to 1 with IMRT plans when compared to OLAF plans (P = 0.005). The CIPADDICK mean values revealed that OLAF plans were significantly worse than IMRT plans (P = 0.005). No statistically significant difference was found between all three plans in terms of homogeneity index mean values (P = 0.076). The calculated mean TCP values were significantly better for 7IMRT plans when compared to OLAF and 5IMRT plans (P = 0.007 and P = 0.017, respectively). Both NTCP and COSI evaluations, which is compatible with DVH, significantly favored OLAF plan for spinal cord and 7IMRT for thyroid gland. The COSI evaluations, which are compatible with DVH, significantly favored 7IMRT plan for carotid arteries and 5IMRT plan for NT. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that CIPADDICK-TCP calculations for PTV and COSI-NTCP calculations for OARs were compatible with DVH in T1 GL plans. Therefore, we suggest such parameters as valuable tools for choosing the feasible one among multiple plans and even with different treatment machinesItem A radiobiological and dosimetrical comparison between simultaneous integrated and sequential boost intensity-modulated arc treatment of locally advanced head-and-neck cancer(Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd., 2020-07) Mandal, Abhijit; Choudhary, Sunil; Mani, Nilesh; Aggarwal, Sushil KumarPurpose: The study aimed to compare the radiobiological and dosimetric parameters between sequential boost (SEQB) and simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) treatment regimen using intensity-modulated arc therapy technique in locally advanced head-and-neck cancer (LAHNC) patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 24 previously untreated LAHNC patients were randomized into SIB (n= 11) and SEQB (n = 13) arms. The planning computed tomography data set was transferred to the treatment planning system. All the target volumes and organ at risk volumes were delineated. Single plan for SIB group and three plans (three phases) were generated for SEQB group of patients. Radiobiological and dosimetric parameters were compared. Results: The BED10(planned) value for high-risk (HR) planning target volume (PTV) was same in both groups, whereas for intermediate-risk (IR) PTV and low-risk (LR) PTV, the values were higher in SEQB arm than SIB arm. The V95 values were 100% for all the target volumes in both arms of patients. The average D100 value for gross target volume, HR PTV, and IR PTV was higher in SEQB arm than that in the SIB arm. The average D100 value for LR PTV was higher in the SIB arm compared to that of the SEQB arm. The BED10(achieved) was calculated using D100 values of target volumes. The difference of BED10(achieved) values between SEQB arm and SIB arm further increased than the BED10(planned) values for all target volumes. The maximum doses for spinal cord, spinal cord planning risk volume, and brain stem were within the tolerance dose in both groups of patients. The left and right parotid glands sparing was comparable in both groups of patients. Average integral dose was higher in the SIB group than SEQB group. The average total monitor unit per fraction was higher in the SEQB arm than that in the SIB arm. Conclusion: SIB regimen may be considered as more logical and efficient over SEQB regimen in the treatment of LAHNC with comparable radiobiological and dosimetric parametersItem Effect of Arg399Gln single-nucleotide polymorphism in XRCC1 gene on survival rate of Indian squamous cell head-and-neck cancer patients(Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd., 2020-07) Dutta, Debnarayan; Abarna, Rajadurai; Shubham, Mehatre; Subbiah, Kannan; Duraisamy, Sriprakash; Chinnusamy, Rayappa; Anbalagan, MoorthyBackground: Head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most common cancers that contribute to 20%–40% of all cancer incidences in India. Indian patients with HNSCC are mostly associated with tobacco usage and may have different genetic alterations compared with Western patients who are mostly associated with human papillomavirus infection. Polymorphisms in DNA repair genes are correlated to individuals' susceptibility and progression of cancer. XRCC1 is a DNA repair enzyme. Materials and Methods: In the present prospective study, Indian population of HNSCC patients (n = 45) were screened for Arg399Gln variant of XRCC1 using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique, prospective evaluation of the patients was done after treatment, and the single-nucleotide polymorphism results were correlated to survival functions. Results: Out of 45 patients, 28 patients were Arg/Arg, 12 patients were Arg/Gln, and 5 patients were Gln/Gln. Overall survival for the entire cohort and Arg/Arg, Arg/Gln, and Gln/Gln cohort was 36.3 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 33–39.5), 38.6 (95% CI: 35.3–41.9), 35.8 (95% CI: 28.6–42.9), and 26.4 (95% CI: 13.7–39.1) months (P = 0.097), respectively. Progression-free survival (PFS) of the entire patient cohort and Arg/Arg, Arg/Gln, and Gln/Gln cohort was 35.2 (95% CI: 31.4–39.1), 38.2 (95% CI: 34.3–42.1), 32.7 (95% CI: 26.2–39.1), and 22.3 (95% CI: 9.4–35.3) (P = 0.061), respectively. Conclusions: This study suggests that HNSCC patients with Gln substitution in place of Arg at position 399 (both homozygous and heterozygous) in XRCC1 protein have significantly inferior survival functions, higher recurrence rate, and events after radical treatmentItem Role of phosphatase and tensin homolog in pathogenesis of ameloblastoma: An immunohistochemical study(Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd., 2020-07) Narayan, Bhaskar; Urs, Aadithya B; Augustine, Jeyaseelan; Singh, HanspalBackground: Altered molecular signaling pathways in ameloblastoma have been identified to play a pivotal role in the mechanism of oncogenesis, differentiation, and tumor progression. Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin pathway is one of the signaling pathways that are associated with the pathogenesis of ameloblastoma. Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) controls cell migration and proliferation. It monitors the level of the Akt and maintains cellular integrity. The present study was aimed to study the immunoexpression of PTEN in ameloblastoma to understand its role in the pathogenesis of ameloblastoma. Materials and Methods: Twenty cases of ameloblastoma and ten cases of normal tooth germ were subjected to immunohistochemical staining against PTEN. Results: Strong PTEN immunopositivity was seen in the tooth germs, while weak positivity was seen in the ameloblastoma. The immunoscore for PTEN was calculated by adding the percentage score and the intensity score. Seventeen cases showed the reduced PTEN expression in the epithelial component of ameloblastoma. The unpaired t-test showed a statistically significant difference in the mean PTEN immunoscore in tooth germ and ameloblastoma. Conclusion: The study showed reduced PTEN immunoreactivity, which plays a role in the pathogenesis of ameloblastoma, through Akt pathway