The expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was determined immunohistochemically in two groups of maxillary sinus squamous cell carcinomas, one with recurrences at the primary site after combination therapy with radiotherapy, chemotherapy and/or surgery and one without local recurrences. Using a four-graded scale (-, +, + +, + + +), 9 of the 10 recurrent carcinomas had a staining intensity and proportion of stained cells of + + or more. A comparable staining intensity was found in 9 of the 18 non-recurrent carcinomas. This difference is statistically significant (Fisher's exact probability test, P < 0.05). These results indicate that an increased expression of EGFR may influence the recurrence rate of squamous cell carcinoma of the maxillary sinus after combined therapy.

The complement receptor (CR1) in the maxillary sinus mucosa of normal patients and in cases of chronic sinusitis was studied with the peroxidase-antiperoxidase, avidin-biotin peroxidase and immunofluorescent methods. CR1 was localized on the ciliary surface and in the cytoplasm of the covering epithelium in both normal controls and the cases of chronic sinusitis. CR1 tended to be denser in the mucosa of chronic sinusitis than in normal mucosa. CR1-binding capacity was also studied with the immunofluorescent method, using C3b-conjugated zymosan. Although CR1 did not bind to C3b in vivo, it was found to bind to C3b in the normal maxillary mucosa when it was treated with C3b-conjugated zymosan. CR1-binding capacity could not be detected in the mucosa from cases with chronic sinusitis, indicating that CR1 was already bound to activated C3b in these cases.

A retrospective analysis of 34 cases of sino-nasal squamous cell or undifferentiated carcinoma in patients admitted between 1984 and 1992 was undertaken. Multimodality therapy incorporated radiation, surgery and chemotherapy. The five-year survival rate was 53 per cent. The local control rate was 82 per cent. Patients died of local failure (six), distant metastases (six), lymph node metastases (one) and other causes (three). Twenty-eight patients with local control were separated into groups: G1–2 (well and moderately differentiated) and G3–4 (poorly differentiated and undifferentiated) and evaluated to find the association between differentiation and metastasis. Lymph node metastasis was not related to the degree of differentiation. Distant metastasis was significantly related to the degree of differentiation (Fisher's exact test: p = 0.007). The result of the combination therapy is poor for patients with poorly differentiated or undifferentiated carcinoma because of distant metastases. Adjuvant chemotherapy may be necessary for them to prevent distant metastasis.

Sinusitis was produced in rabbits, after which animals were separated into three groups: allergic sinusitis, induced purulent sinusitis, and spontaneous purulent sinusitis. Mucosal specimens were taken from these animals and normal controls. Na/K-ATPase was localized cytochemically and its activity studied in order to define the energy metabolism of secretion. The Na/K-ATPase reaction was unable to be clearly distinguished in either the allergic sinusitis specimens or the normal mucosa. In both purulent sinusitis groups, an intensive reaction was observed in the subepithelial glands and a weak reaction was found in the goblet cells. The Na/K-ATPase activity in the purulent sinusitis groups was significantly higher than that in the normal control group. The increased Na/K-ATPase activity may be an affect of hyperactivity of the secretory cells.

Abstract. Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) of the vocal cord occurring in a 46-year-old male was studied immunohistochemically and ultrastructurally. The tumor consisted of the two main areas, pleomorphic and storiform, lmmunohistochemical staining was strongly positive for al-antitrypsin and al-antichymotrypsin, and negative for desmin, keratin, myoglobin, actin, carcinoembryonic antigen, and S100 protein. Ultrastructurally, this MFH consisted of four different types of cells which were either fibroblast-like, histiocyte-like, myofibroblast-like, or with features of both the fibroblast and histiocyte types. Transition forms between the four types of cells were also found. This suggests that cells of MFH are derived from the same undifferentiated stem cells.