Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) include a group of malignant neoplasms that arise from the upper aerodigestive tract and represent the seventh most common cause of cancer-related death. The overall 5-year survival rates have not significantly improved for decades in spite of the advances in the field of oncology and surgery, encouraging further research on factors that might modify disease prognosis. The silent information regulator (SIR) genes (Sirtuins) play key roles in cellular stress and are associated with aging-related diseases including cancer. Currently, seven human sirtuin (SIRT1-7) genes have been identified, but the roles of SIRT genes in HNSCC are still uncertain. Therefore, in this study, we used real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction to investigate the expressions of the seven SIRT genes in human HNSCC tissues to assess the changes in cancerous and noncancerous parts and the correlation with different tumor behaviors. Our results demonstrated that the expression levels of SIRT1, SIRT2, SIRT3, SIRT5, SIRT6, and SIRT7 were significantly downregulated in cancerous tissues compared with noncancerous tissues (all p<0.01). The expression levels of SIRT1, SIRT2, SIRT3, SIRT5, and SIRT7 showed downregulation in advanced stages in respect to early stages (p<0.05). These results indicate that the downregulation of SIRT genes expression may contribute to the development of cancer and trigger the neoplastic disease to more advanced stages. Our study indicates that SIRT genes expression could help in the diagnosis and represent a prognostic biomarker in HNSCC.

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The study's purposes are to identify patient characteristics, treatment response and survival rate, and to describe the important prognostic factors for our patients with extranodal head and neck lymphoma. Furthermore, no study has systemically discussed the overall figure of this disease in Taiwan and we analyzed our data on this topic. A retrospective review was performed for 86 patients with extranodal head and neck lymphoma, diagnosed in Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, between 1990 and 2007. We evaluated the medical records and analyzed the possible factors affecting treatment outcomes, survival rate, and free-from-disease (FFD) survival rate. Forty-nine male and 37 female patients were included with a male:female ratio of 1.32:1. The most frequent histologic type was diffuse large B cell lymphoma, accounting for 41.9% of the total. The most common primary site involved with extranodal head and neck non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was a tonsil with 27 cases (31.4%). Stage, international prognostic index (IPI) score, B symptoms, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level, and lymph node status significantly affected treatment response. The overall 5- and 10-year survival rates were 68.0% and 57.8%, respectively. The FFD survival rate was 53.6% and 49.3% at 5 and 10 years, respectively. Factors including stage, lymph node status, LDH level, and IPI score produced significant differences in both overall survival and FFD survival. Our analyzed information is similar to other previously presented studies. Stage, IPI score, B symptoms, LDH level, and neck nodal status can be used to evaluate the treatment outcomes. Neck nodal status and stage are the two significant prognostic factors for overall survival.