This study aimed to evaluate the palatine tonsils of patients with chronic tonsillitis and spinocellular carcinoma to determine the presence of nano-sized particles. Tonsil samples from adult patients with chronic tonsillitis and spinocellular carcinoma of the palatine tonsil were dried and analyzed using a scanning electron microscope with the X-ray microprobe of an energy-dispersive spectroscope. Demographic data and smoking histories were obtained. The principal metals found in almost all tissues analyzed were iron, chromium, nickel, aluminum, zinc, and copper. No significant difference in elemental composition was found between the group of patients with chronic tonsillitis and the group with spinocellular carcinoma of the palatine tonsil. Likewise, no significant difference was found between the group of smokers and the group of nonsmokers. The presence of various micro- and nano-sized metallic particles in human tonsils was confirmed. These particles may potentially cause an inflammatory response as well as neoplastic changes in human palatine tonsils similar to those occurring in the lungs. Further and more detailed studies addressing this issue, including studies designed to determine the chemical form of the metals detected, studies devoted to quantitative analysis, biokinetics, and to the degradation and elimination of nanoparticles are needed for a more detailed prediction of the relation between the diagnosis and the presence of specific metal nanoparticles in tonsillar tissue.

This prospective study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA) as a clinical marker of sinonasal inverted papilloma (IP). The potential benefit of SCCA in the diagnosis of unilateral nasal pathology and as a marker of hidden recurrence was evaluated as well. Blood samples from patients with sinonasal IP were examined to determine serum SCCA levels before surgery, the day after surgery, and every 6 months during follow-up. Preoperative and postoperative levels of SCCA were compared. Twenty consecutive patients with histologically confirmed IP were included in the study, conducted between 2000 and 2011. The mean age of the patients was 54.2 years (range 35-72). The mean serum SCCA level before surgery was 3.885 μg/l (range 0.7-7.6). A decrease of the SCCA level to 0.885 μg/l (range 0.1-1.9) was observed on the 1 day after a radical surgical procedure. A statistically significant difference between the preoperative and postoperative levels was observed (P < 0.001). Elevated levels of SCCA during long-term follow-up were observed in three patients. All of them had a recurrence of IP. We conclude that the serum level of SCCA is a useful clinical marker of the presence of sinonasal IP. The level of SCC antigen was significantly lower in patients after IP was completely removed. According to our results, SCCA level also appears to be useful for long-term follow-up (hidden recurrence diagnosis).

Objective. The aim of this prospective study is to evaluate presence and quantity of micro- and nanosized particles (NPs) and interindividual differences in their distribution and composition in nasal mucosa. Methods. Six samples of nasal mucosa obtained by mucotomy from patients with chronic hypertrophic rhinosinusitis were examined. Samples divided into 4 parts according to the distance from the nostrils were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and Raman microspectroscopy to detect solid particles and characterize their morphology and composition. A novel method of quantification of the particles was designed and used to evaluate interindividual differences in distribution of the particles. The findings were compared with patients' employment history. Results. In all the samples, NPs of different elemental composition were found (iron, barium, copper, titanium, etc.), predominantly in the parts most distant from nostrils, in various depths from the surface of the mucosa and interindividual differences in their quantity and composition were found, possibly in relation to professional exposition. Conclusions. This study has proven the possibility of quantification of distribution of micro- and nanosized particles in tissue samples and that the NPs may deposit in deeper layers of mucosa and their elemental composition may be related to professional exposition to the sources of NPs.

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