These findings suggest that the longer but smaller EMG burst in comparison with gum chewing is one of the characteristics of RMMA. The relation between size of RMMA phasic bursts and gum chewing is also suggested.
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in the oral region. Despite current therapeutic strategies, the survival rate has not been improved for several decades. Thus, it is important to develop a novel approach for the treatment of OSCC. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is a major constituent of green tea and has previously been demonstrated to inhibit the growth of several types of cancer cells. However, few studies have investigated the effect of EGCG on human OSCC cells, especially in experimental animal models. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the therapeutic potential of EGCG for targeting human OSCC
in vitro
and
in vivo
. In the
in vitro
experiments, EGCG suppressed HSC-3 cell viability in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Cell cycle analysis revealed that EGCG induced G1 phase arrest of the tumor cells. Apoptosis was examined by Annexin V and propidium iodide staining, assays of caspase-3 and −7 activity and TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining. Treatment with EGCG significantly increased caspase-3 and −7 activities, and the percentage of apoptotic cells when compared with control cells. In the
in vivo
xenograft experiment on mice, EGCG treatment resulted in a 45.2% reduction in tumor size as compared with the control group without weight loss.
In vivo
cell proliferation and apoptosis were assessed by immunohistochemical Ki-67 staining and the TUNEL staining. There were significant differences in Ki-67 expression between the EGCG treatment group and control group, and the percentage of apoptotic cells in the EGCG treatment group was significantly greater than that in the control group. These results indicated that EGCG significantly inhibited cell proliferation by affecting the cell cycle progression and apoptosis
in vitro
and
in vivo
. These findings suggest that EGCG may have clinical applications as a novel approach to oral-cancer therapy.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected various aspects, including socioeconomic status and health. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on oral health based on the number of teeth that contribute to mastication, and the nutritional status of elderly patients with digestive cancers.
The authors defined the before and during COVID-19 periods in this study as January 2019 to December 2019 and January 2020 to December 2020, respectively. Patients with digestive cancer who underwent general, laboratory, and orthopantomograph examinations for preoperative oral health assessment before general anesthesia participated in this study. The authors investigated the following general characteristics: (1) sex, (2) age, and (3) the organ affected by disease and scheduled for surgery under general anesthesia. The authors collected information about (4) the number of teeth that could contribute to mastication as a clinical oral health parameter. The parameters: (5) body mass index, (6) serum total protein levels, and (7) serum albumin levels were used to indicate the nutritional status.
A total of 233 elderly patients with digestive cancer participated in this study. There was no significant difference between the age of the patients with digestive cancer. There was also no significant difference in the number of teeth that could contribute to mastication. Additionally, there was no significant difference in nutritional status as indicated by the body mass index, serum total protein levels, and serum albumin levels.
This study showed that the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020 did not have a significant influence on the oral health and nutritional status of elderly patients with digestive cancer. However, the influence of COVID-19 on community oral health may become apparent in the future. Thus, dental professionals should continue further research regarding the effects of COVID-19 on oral health.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.