Introduction The aim of the study was to investigate the mRNA expression and protein levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) 2 (MMP-2), 9 (MMP-9), 7 (MMP-7) and their tissue inhibitor TIMP-2 in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and control subjects and additionally to evaluate a possible correlation with clinicopathological features. Material and methods The expression levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, MMP-7, and TIMP-2 mRNA were detected by the real-time quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction method in 96 cases of laryngeal carcinoma vs. non-tumor tissue. The blood serum levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, MMP-7, and TIMP-2 in patients with laryngeal cancer and 100 healthy subjects were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Results The present study demonstrated that MMP-2, MMP-7, MMP-9 and TIMP-2 mRNA expression levels in carcinoma tissue vs. non-tumor tissue and protein levels in the preoperative serum vs. those obtained in healthy controls were statistically significantly higher than in the healthy controls ( p = 0.001). The only significant correlation between mRNA or concentration of measured MMPs and TIMP and the clinicopathological features was found for TIMP-2 protein and for patients with lymph node metastasis. Serum levels of TIMP-2 were higher in cases with lymph node metastasis than in those without lymph node metastasis ( p < 0.05). Conclusions The results may suggest that MMPs and TIMP-2 are associated with laryngeal tumorigenesis, but we did not find any distinct correlation between the clinicopathological features of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients and expression levels of MMPs and TIMP. The results suggest that the measurement of serum MMP-2, MMP-7, MMP-9 and TIMP-2 concentration might be helpful to diagnose laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Introduction.To investigate the mRNA and protein expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, MMP-7 and their tissue inhibitor TIMP-2 in tissue specimens with oral squamous cell cancer (OSCC) and in healthy tissues. Material and methods. The expression genes of MMP-2, MMP-9, MMP-7 and TIMP-2 on mRNA levels were detected by the RT-PCR method in 31 samples with oral squamous cell carcinoma and in 31 healthy, control tissues. Secondly, the concentration of the analysed metalloproteinases and their inhibitor was assessed in tumor and non-tumor tissues using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Results. The mean values of gene expression of MMP-2, MMP-7, MMP-9 and TIMP in tissues with oral squamous cell cancer were significantly higher in comparison to normal ones (p < 0.0001). Similar observations were found for concentration levels of analysed MMPs and TIMP in tissues with and without oral cancer (p < 0.0001).Conclusions. The present study demonstrated that MMP-2, MMP-7, MMP-9 and TIMP-2 gene expression on protein and mRNA levels is higher in oral squamous cell carcinoma tissues than in healthy control tissues. This may suggest that MMPs and TIMP play an important role in tumorogenesis. We did not observe any correlation between the clinicopathological characteristics of patients with OSCC and expression levels of MMPs and TIMP.

Infections in the maxillofacial and neck region are a serious problem nowadays. Lately diagnosed infection may lead to many hazardous complications including spreading through superior thoracic aperture to the mediastinum. That affects everyday life of patients, including his ability to work. The aim of this study was to analyze the factors affecting work inability associated with the treatment of maxillofacial and neck infections. We made a retrospective analysis of medical documentation of patients treated in our Department due to the infections of maxillofacial and neck region. In our research, mostly men were burden with infections in the maxilliofacial region and neck (64.3%). Patient presented poor oral hygiene thus the main cause of the infection was periodontal. Treatment period (including hospitalization and inability to work) varied from 1 up to 124 days; Mostly affected are patients in their 3rd and 4th decade of life when they are professionally active. A proper treatment (including surgical and pharmacological) is required to allow those patients come back to their everyday life.