O mecanismo de oncogênese na laringe pode ser controlado por vários fatores, entre eles fatores envolvidos na regulação do ciclo celular e outros de risco, tais como exposição prolongada ao fumo e álcool. O desenvolvimento do câncer de laringe também pode estar associado à infecção pelo HPV. Este estudo, análise imunoistoquímica quantitativa de p53, p27 e Mdm2, foi realizado em 54 pacientes com carcinoma invasivo de laringe subdivididos em: carcinoma sem metástase (laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma without metastasis - LSCCWT), com metástase (laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma with metastasis - LSCCW) e linfonodos cervicais (limph nodes biopsies - LB). A detecção e tipificação do HPV foram realizadas pela reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR) e os tipos de HPV avaliados foram HPV 6, 11, 16, 18, 31 e 33. Na análise quantitativa, alta expressão de p53, p27 e Mdm2 foi observada nos grupos LSCCW e LSCCWT assim como nas biópsias dos linfonodos cervicais, indicando que a avaliação dessas proteínas poderia não discriminar carcinomas de laringe metastáticos e não-metastáticos. Detecção do HPV foi verificada em apenas 7.4% dos casos. Dentre os pacientes HPV positivos, verificou-se expressão negativa de p53. Por outro lado, alta expressão de p27 e Mdm2 foi observada. Em conclusão, a avaliação quantitativa de p53, p27 e Mdm2 não permite traçar um perfil complementar em lesões metastáticas de laringe. / The mechanism of larynx oncogenesis could be controlled by various factors, most of them involved in cell cycle regulation and other risk factors such as smoking and alcohol abuse. The development of laryngeal carcinoma is associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. In this study, quantitative immunohistochemistry was perfomed for p53, p27 and Mdm2 in 54 patients with invasive laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma without metastasis (LSCCWT), with metastasis (LSCCW) and cervical lymph nodes (LB). HPV detection and typing was performed by PCR and the HPV types evaluated were HPV 6, 11, 16, 18, 31 and 33. In the quantitative analysis higher p53, p27 and Mdm2 expression was observed in both LSCCW and LSCCWT, as well in cervical lymph node biopsies with metastasis, may indicating that evaluation of these proteins may not discriminate between metastatic and non-metastatic laryngeal carcinoma. HPV was found in 7.4% of the cases. Among HPV- positive patients, p53 expression was negative. On the other hand, high p27 and Mdm2 expression was observed. In conclusion, these data suggest that quantitative evaluation of p53, p27 and Mdm2 does not permit to determine a complementary profile in metastatic laryngeal lesions.

O mecanismo de oncogênese na laringe pode ser controlado por vários fatores, entre eles fatores envolvidos na regulação do ciclo celular e outros de risco, tais como exposição prolongada ao fumo e álcool. O desenvolvimento do câncer de laringe também pode estar associado à infecção pelo HPV. Este estudo, análise imunoistoquímica quantitativa de p53, p27 e Mdm2, foi realizado em 54 pacientes com carcinoma invasivo de laringe subdivididos em: carcinoma sem metástase (laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma without metastasis - LSCCWT), com metástase (laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma with metastasis - LSCCW) e linfonodos cervicais (limph nodes biopsies - LB). A detecção e tipificação do HPV foram realizadas pela reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR) e os tipos de HPV avaliados foram HPV 6, 11, 16, 18, 31 e 33. Na análise quantitativa, alta expressão de p53, p27 e Mdm2 foi observada nos grupos LSCCW e LSCCWT assim como nas biópsias dos linfonodos cervicais, indicando que a avaliação dessas proteínas poderia não discriminar carcinomas de laringe metastáticos e não-metastáticos. Detecção do HPV foi verificada em apenas 7.4% dos casos. Dentre os pacientes HPV positivos, verificou-se expressão negativa de p53. Por outro lado, alta expressão de p27 e Mdm2 foi observada. Em conclusão, a avaliação quantitativa de p53, p27 e Mdm2 não permite traçar um perfil complementar em lesões metastáticas de laringe. / The mechanism of larynx oncogenesis could be controlled by various factors, most of them involved in cell cycle regulation and other risk factors such as smoking and alcohol abuse. The development of laryngeal carcinoma is associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. In this study, quantitative immunohistochemistry was perfomed for p53, p27 and Mdm2 in 54 patients with invasive laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma without metastasis (LSCCWT), with metastasis (LSCCW) and cervical lymph nodes (LB). HPV detection and typing was performed by PCR and the HPV types evaluated were HPV 6, 11, 16, 18, 31 and 33. In the quantitative analysis higher p53, p27 and Mdm2 expression was observed in both LSCCW and LSCCWT, as well in cervical lymph node biopsies with metastasis, may indicating that evaluation of these proteins may not discriminate between metastatic and non-metastatic laryngeal carcinoma. HPV was found in 7.4% of the cases. Among HPV- positive patients, p53 expression was negative. On the other hand, high p27 and Mdm2 expression was observed. In conclusion, these data suggest that quantitative evaluation of p53, p27 and Mdm2 does not permit to determine a complementary profile in metastatic laryngeal lesions.

The increase in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in the treatment of oncological diseases, as well as the limited capacity of experts to provide information, necessitates the development of therapy decision support systems (TDSS). We have developed a treatment decision model that integrates available patient information as well as tumor characteristics. They are assessed according to their relevance in evaluating the optimal therapy option. Our treatment model is based on Bayesian networks (BN) which integrate patient-specific data with expert-based implemented causalities to suggest the optimal therapy option and therefore potentially support the decision-making process for treatment of laryngeal carcinoma. To test the reliability of our model, we compared the calculations of our model with the documented therapy from our data set, which contained information on 97 patients with laryngeal carcinoma. Information on 92 patients was used in our analyses and the model suggested the correct treatment in 419 out of 460 treatment modalities (accuracy of 91%). However, unequally distributed clinical data in the test sets revealed weak spots in the model that require revision for future utilization.

Para que ocorra a transição do epitélio normal de laringe para carcinoma escamoso é necessário um processo de múltiplas etapas tal como exposição prolongada ao fumo e álcool e uma possível associação à infecção pelo HPV. Vários tipos de marcadores moleculares vêm sendo estudados na carcinogênese da laringe, entre eles proteínas associadas a apoptose (bcl-2 e PARP-1) assim como proteínas envolvidas em múltiplos processos biológicos como a Galectina-3. Neste estudo foram realizadas análise imunoistoquímica quantitativa e qualitativa para bcl-2, PARP-1 e galectina-3 em 65 pacientes diagnosticados com câncer de laringe subdivididos em: carcinoma de laringe in situ (CLIS), carcinoma de laringe com metástase (CLM), sem metástase (CLS) e linfonodos cervicais (LC). A detecção e tipificação do HPV foram realizadas pela reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR) e os tipos de HPV avaliados foram HPV 6, 11, 16, 18, 31 e 33. Na avaliação quantitativa de galectina-3 observou-se um significativo aumento de expressão no carcinoma invasivo de laringe (CLS e CLM) quando comparado com carcinoma in situ (CLIS), podendo concluir que essa proteína seria um bom marcador pra progressão de câncer de laringe. Para as proteínas PARP-1 e bcl-2 não houve diferença nos níveis de expressão nos grupos analisados. Na análise qualitativa PARP-1 apresentou uma homogeneidade de marcação tanto alta como baixa entre os grupos. Em relação à Galectina-3 observou-se um predomínio de casos com alta expressão, diferentemente da proteína bcl-2 onde o predomínio foi de baixa expressão em todos os casos de carcinoma de laringe e seus respectivos linfonodos metastáticos. Dos 65 pacientes, 55 (84,6%), foram positivos para beta-globina e 7 (12.7%) dos 55 pacientes foram positivos para HPV. Não foi possível verificar quaisquer correlações entre as proteínas Galectina-3, bcl-2 e PARP-1 e o HPV devido ao baixo índice de casos positivos. / To occur the transition from normal epithelium to squamous cell carcinoma is a necessary a for multiple stages process, such as smoking and alcohol abuse and a possible association with HPV infection. Several types of molecular markers have been studied in cancer of larynx, including proteins associated with apoptosis (bcl-2 and PARP-1) and proteins involved in many biological process such as galectin-3. In this study, analyses of qualitative and quantitative immunohistochemistry was performed for bcl-2, PARP-1 and galectin-3 in 65 patients diagnosed with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma divided into in situ laryngeal carcinomas(LSCCS), laryngeal squamols cells carcinomas without metastases (LSCCWT) and with metastasis (LSCCW) and cervical lymph nodes (CL). HPV detection and typing was performed by PCR and the HPV types evaluated were HPV 6, 11, 16, 18, 31 and 33. In quantitative of galectin-3 there was observed a significant increase of expression in invasive laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCCWT and LSCCW) compared with in situ laryngeal carcinomas (LSCCS), may indicating that this protein could be a good marker for progression of laryngeal carcinoma. For PARP-1 and bcl-2 protein there was no difference in the levels of expression in all groups studied. In qualitative analysis PARP-1 showed a homogenous immunolabeling in both high and low among the groups. In relation to Galectin-3, it was observed a predominance of cases with high expression, unlike the protein bcl-2 where the expression prevalence was low in all cases of laryngeal carcinoma and their metastatic lymph nodes. Of the 65 patients, 55 (84.6%) were positive for beta-globin and 7 (12.7%) of 55 patients were positive for HPV. Because of a low incidence of HPV in the cases studied, it was not possible correlate the proteins bcl-2, PARP-1 and Galectin-3 with the presence of HPV.

Para que ocorra a transição do epitélio normal de laringe para carcinoma escamoso é necessário um processo de múltiplas etapas tal como exposição prolongada ao fumo e álcool e uma possível associação à infecção pelo HPV. Vários tipos de marcadores moleculares vêm sendo estudados na carcinogênese da laringe, entre eles proteínas associadas a apoptose (bcl-2 e PARP-1) assim como proteínas envolvidas em múltiplos processos biológicos como a Galectina-3. Neste estudo foram realizadas análise imunoistoquímica quantitativa e qualitativa para bcl-2, PARP-1 e galectina-3 em 65 pacientes diagnosticados com câncer de laringe subdivididos em: carcinoma de laringe in situ (CLIS), carcinoma de laringe com metástase (CLM), sem metástase (CLS) e linfonodos cervicais (LC). A detecção e tipificação do HPV foram realizadas pela reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR) e os tipos de HPV avaliados foram HPV 6, 11, 16, 18, 31 e 33. Na avaliação quantitativa de galectina-3 observou-se um significativo aumento de expressão no carcinoma invasivo de laringe (CLS e CLM) quando comparado com carcinoma in situ (CLIS), podendo concluir que essa proteína seria um bom marcador pra progressão de câncer de laringe. Para as proteínas PARP-1 e bcl-2 não houve diferença nos níveis de expressão nos grupos analisados. Na análise qualitativa PARP-1 apresentou uma homogeneidade de marcação tanto alta como baixa entre os grupos. Em relação à Galectina-3 observou-se um predomínio de casos com alta expressão, diferentemente da proteína bcl-2 onde o predomínio foi de baixa expressão em todos os casos de carcinoma de laringe e seus respectivos linfonodos metastáticos. Dos 65 pacientes, 55 (84,6%), foram positivos para beta-globina e 7 (12.7%) dos 55 pacientes foram positivos para HPV. Não foi possível verificar quaisquer correlações entre as proteínas Galectina-3, bcl-2 e PARP-1 e o HPV devido ao baixo índice de casos positivos. / To occur the transition from normal epithelium to squamous cell carcinoma is a necessary a for multiple stages process, such as smoking and alcohol abuse and a possible association with HPV infection. Several types of molecular markers have been studied in cancer of larynx, including proteins associated with apoptosis (bcl-2 and PARP-1) and proteins involved in many biological process such as galectin-3. In this study, analyses of qualitative and quantitative immunohistochemistry was performed for bcl-2, PARP-1 and galectin-3 in 65 patients diagnosed with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma divided into in situ laryngeal carcinomas(LSCCS), laryngeal squamols cells carcinomas without metastases (LSCCWT) and with metastasis (LSCCW) and cervical lymph nodes (CL). HPV detection and typing was performed by PCR and the HPV types evaluated were HPV 6, 11, 16, 18, 31 and 33. In quantitative of galectin-3 there was observed a significant increase of expression in invasive laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCCWT and LSCCW) compared with in situ laryngeal carcinomas (LSCCS), may indicating that this protein could be a good marker for progression of laryngeal carcinoma. For PARP-1 and bcl-2 protein there was no difference in the levels of expression in all groups studied. In qualitative analysis PARP-1 showed a homogenous immunolabeling in both high and low among the groups. In relation to Galectin-3, it was observed a predominance of cases with high expression, unlike the protein bcl-2 where the expression prevalence was low in all cases of laryngeal carcinoma and their metastatic lymph nodes. Of the 65 patients, 55 (84.6%) were positive for beta-globin and 7 (12.7%) of 55 patients were positive for HPV. Because of a low incidence of HPV in the cases studied, it was not possible correlate the proteins bcl-2, PARP-1 and Galectin-3 with the presence of HPV.

Η επιθηλιακή προς μεσεγχυματική μετατροπή είναι ένα φαινόμενο που πιθανότατα εμπλέκεται στην παθογένεια του καρκίνου του λάρυγγα. Η ΕΜΤ εξελισσόμενη μέσα από δαιδαλώδη μονοπάτια μεταγωγής σήματος καταλήγει να προσδώσει στο καρκινικό κύτταρο δομικά και λειτουργικά χαρακτηριστικά που το καθιστούν ικανό να μπορεί να διεισδύει στους ιστούς και να μεθίσταται. Κεντρικό μόριο στα μοριακά μονοπάτια που διαμεσολαβούν την ΕΜΤ στον καρκίνο του λάρυγγα είναι μια κινάση, η ILK, που δέχεται σήματα από τις ιντεγκρίνες και τους υποδοχείς αυξητικών παραγόντων. Στους επιθηλιακούς καρκίνους αναφέρεται η εμπλοκή της σε λειτουργίες όπως ρύθμιση του κυτταρικού κύκλου, αποφυγή της απόπτωσης, νεοαγγειογένεση, απώλεια των δομών συνοχής του κυττάρου, έκφραση μεταλλοπρωτεασών και αναδιαμόρφωση του κυτταροσκελετού. Στο λαρυγγικό καρκίνο όμως κρίσιμα φαινόμενα για τον μεταστατικό-επιθετικό χαρακτήρα των κυττάρων, όπως, η εξαφάνιση των E-cadherin, η μετακίνηση των β-catenin στον πυρήνα και η συσχέτιση μεταξύ τους, που διαπιστώθηκαν, δεν βρέθηκε να συνδέονται με την υπερέκφραση της ILK καθιστώντας προφανώς άλλους μηχανισμούς υπεύθυνους για την επιτέλεση αυτών των λειτουργιών. Ιδιαίτερα ενδιαφέρουσα όμως ήταν και η εντόπιση της ILK στον πυρήνα των κυττάρων του καρκίνου του λάρυγγα δίνοντας μια νέα προοπτική στην έρευνα για τον ρόλο της ILK στον καρκίνο. Στο μονοπάτι μεταγωγής σήματος της ILK στο λαρυγγικό καρκίνο βρέθηκε πως συμμετέχει και η ενεργοποιημένη Akt με την οποία επίσης σχετίζονται πολλές κρίσιμες λειτουργίες για το καρκινικό κύτταρο. Ωστόσο η p-Akt στο λαρυγγικό καρκίνο φαίνεται πως έχει κάποιο ρόλο αντίθετο με την λειτουργία του καρκινικού κυττάρου καθώς χαρακτηρίζει όγκους καλύτερης διαφοροποίησης. Ο λαρυγγικός καρκίνος τέλος διαπιστώθηκε πως χαρακτηρίζεται από την έκφραση υποδοχέων ανδρογόνων και οιστρογόνων καθιστώντας πολύ πιθανό το ρόλο αυτών των μορίων στην παθογένεια της νόσου. Ενδιαφέρουσα για την πιθανότητα εμπλοκής των υποδοχέων στερεοειδών ορμονών του φύλου στην ΕΜΤ ίσως να είναι η συσχέτιση των υποδοχέων ανδρογόνων και οιστρογόνων με την ILK και p-Akt αντίστοιχα. Οι υποδοχείς οιστρογόνων μάλιστα χαρακτηρίζοντας όγκους λάρυγγα αρχικών σταδίων ίσως θα μπορούσε να αποδειχτεί μόριο με προγνωστική αξία αλλά και θεραπευτικός στόχος. Τέλος η μελέτη της έκφρασης της ILK, της p-Akt και των υποδοχέων στεροειδών ορμονών του φύλου δεν ανέδειξε μια διαφορετική έκφραση μεταξύ υπεργλωττιδικών και γλωττιδικών καρκίνων του λάρυγγος ώστε να υποστηρίξει την ύπαρξη ενός μοριακού υποβάθρου στην παρατήρηση της ανόμοιας κλινικής συμπεριφοράς μεταξύ όγκων από τις δύο αυτές ανατομικά διακριτές περιοχές. / Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process possibly implicated in the pathogenesis of laryngeal cancer. EMT is a type of epithelial cell plasticity which is characterized by long lasting phenotypic and molecular modifications of the epithelial cell as a result of a transforming procedure leading to a cell of mesenchymal type. This molecular procedure seems to be pivotal for the metastasis of epithelial cancers and its attribution to the epithelial cells is the gain of structural and functional traits which enable them to invade the tissues and metastaze. In the current study ILK expression, which is a central molecule in the signal transduction pathways of EMT, seems to be implicated in human laryngeal carcinoma. Furthermore, localization of ILK in the nucleus possibly suggests novel nuclear functions of ILK. In addition, enhanced ILK expression in laryngeal carcinoma correlates with activation of Akt. Moreover, while activated Act seems to characterize well differentiated tumors, loss of E-cadherin and activation of β-catenin were correlated with high grade carcinomas. Finally, in laryngeal cancer, mechanisms other than ILK overexpression seem to account for downregulation of E-cadherin and activation of β-catenin. Additionaly this study concluded that estrogen and androgen receptors are expressed in laryngeal carcinomas, indicating their possible role in the pathogenesis of this disease. It is interesting that the receptors of gender-related steroid hormones could have a possible relation to epithelial to mesenchymal transition phenomenon since a correlation between androgen and estrogen receptors with ILK and p-Akt respectively, was revealed. Moreover estrogen receptors characterize primary TMN-stage laryngeal carcinomas. This can be very important as it makes a prospect of using ER as a prognostic factor but even more as a novel hormonal therapy for laryngeal carcinomas. Finally the study of molecules like ILK, p-Akt, estrogen and androgen receptors did not reveal any differentiantal expression between glotic and supraglotic laryngeal carcinomas in order to support the existence of a molecular background, at least as far as those molecules are concerned, to the distinct clinical outcome of those different anatomically-derived laryngeal carcinomas. Metastasis is a rapid development in the ominous course of cancer. The effort to interpret the molecular basis of this phenomenon is not a subject of simple academic interest since the exploit of the molecular mechanisms so as to gain the control of metastasis could be the ‘‘bet’’ for a futuristic ‘‘molecular surgery’’.