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Alcohol consumption is an established risk factor for head and neck cancer (HNC). The major carcinogen from alcohol is acetaldehyde, which may be produced by humans or by oral microorganisms through the metabolism of ethanol. To account for the different sources of acetaldehyde production, the current study examined the interplay between alcohol consumption, oral hygiene (as a proxy measure for the growth of oral microorganisms), and alcohol-metabolizing genes (ADH1B and ALDH2) in the risk of HNC. We found that both the fast (*2/*2) and the slow (*1/*1 1 *1/*2) ADH1B genotypes increased the risk of HNC due to alcohol consumption, and this association differed according to the slow/non-functional ALDH2 genotypes (*1/*2 1 *2/ *2) or poor oral hygiene. In persons with the fast ADH1B genotype, the HNC risk associated with alcohol drinking was increased for those with the slow/non-functional ALDH2 genotypes. For those with the slow ADH1B genotypes, oral hygiene appeared to play an important role; the highest magnitude of an increased HNC risk in alcohol drinkers occurred among those with the worst oral hygiene. This is the first study to show that the association between alcohol drinking and HNC risk may be modified by the interplay between genetic polymorphisms of ADH1B and ALDH2 and oral hygiene. Although it is important to promote abstinence from or reduction of alcohol drinking to decrease the occurrence of HNC, improving oral hygiene practices may provide additional benefit.

Invasive micropapillary carcinoma (IMPCa) of the breast refers to a unique variant of invasive ductal carcinoma, but its biological behavior has not been elucidated well. We analyzed 16 IMPCa cases (10 pure type, six mixed type). The incidence of IMPCa was 1.0% of all primary breast carcinoma. High nuclear grade (75.0%), as well as poorly differentiated histological grade (81.3%), was frequently seen. Lymph node metastases were evident in 92.9% of the examined cases, and about half of them showed more than 10 positive nodes. Comparison between serially experienced invasive ductal carcinoma, not otherwise specified (IDC-NOS), revealed that both high nuclear grade and poor histological grade were significantly more frequent (P < 0001), there was a lower frequency of positive estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), a higher frequency of HER-2 overexpression (P < 0.025), and more frequent lymph node metastases (P < 0.05) in IMPCa. The comparison between lymph node positive IDC-NOS did not show any statistically significant differences in frequency for positive p53, matrix metalloproteinase protein-2 (MMP-2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) or E-cadherin. However, IMPCa showed a significantly increased number of blood vessels counted by CD34 immunostains (P < 0.05). These results suggest that IMPCa is, at least, the same or more aggressive than lymph node positive cases of IDC-NOS. Hence, not only the high incidence of lymph node metastases but also distant, blood-borne metastases may be important.

This study does not support an association between oncogenic HPV and the carcinogenesis or prognosis of WHO-II/III NPCs in Taiwan.

Purpose: Genetic variation in CD14 may affect CD14 expression and susceptibility to Helicobacter pylori infection^related cancers. This study examined functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the CD14 promoter and their associations with risk of developing gastric carcinoma in relation to H. pylori infection. Experimental Design: Thirty individual DNAs were sequenced to identify variants, and the function of the variants was examined by reporter gene assays. Genotypes and haplotypes were analyzed in 470 patients and 470 controls, and odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated by logistic regression. Serologic H. pylori antibody and soluble CD14 (sCD14) levels were measured by ELISA. Results: Two SNPs (À651C>T and À260C>T) were identified, of which the À260CT and À260TT genotypes were associated with elevated risk of gastric carcinoma (OR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.09-2.85 and OR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.20-3.16, respectively). Haplotype analysis suggested a synergistic effect of the two SNPs (OR for the T À651 -T À260 haplotype, 3.39 versus OR for the C À651 -T À260 haplotype, 1.45; P = 0.02), which is consistent with reporter gene assays. A multiplicative joint effect between H. pylori infection and À260C>T polymorphism was observed (OR for the presence of both À260TTgenotype and H. pylori infection, 4.03; 95% CI, 1.80-9.04). Patients had significantly higher sCD14 than controls (1,866 F 2,535 ng/mL versus1,343 F 2,119 ng/mL; P < 0.001), and this difference was associated with the CD14 À260 polymorphism and H. pylori infection. Conclusions: Functional polymorphism in CD14 is associated with greater risk of H. pylorir elated gastric carcinoma, which might be mediated by elevated sCD14.

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Our data suggest that TNFAIP8 overexpression may contribute to lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis in IGA.