Mortality rates due to oral cancer in Chile are lower than abroad. The highest rates observed in some regions may be influenced by environmental factors such as arsenic contamination in Antofagasta and the lack of specialists and specialized care centers in Aysén and Magallanes.

No abstract

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a transmembrane glycoprotein, with an intracellular domain and tyrosine kinase function (TK) involved in cell proliferation. Dysfunctions in EGFR signaling pathways have been associated with oral malignant tumors such as oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Dysfunctions of EGFR may result from: increased EGF ligand; EGFR overexpression and copy number gain of the EGFR gene (EGFR CNG); EGFR mutations; failure in the downregulation of EGFR; and EGFR crosstalk. Of these alterations, overexpression of EGFR is by far the most studied dysfunction in OSCC. Clinicians should identify possible alterations of EGFR in the oral mucosa of patients, as EGFR can act as a biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of OSCC. Currently, there are several methods and techniques for detecting EGFR. Immunohistochemistry (IHC), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), are used to identify overexpression of EGFR, EGFR CNG and EGFR mutations, respectively. Detection of EGFR as a biomarker is key to identify any oral malignant transformation. Consequently, it becomes imperative to implement a non-invasive and inexpensive method of early diagnosis for OSCC in clinical practice.

The oropharyngeal cancer adjusted mortality rate for the chosen period was 3.98 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. The specific mortality rate from oropharyngeal cancer in the "medium" HDI category was 4.01; in the "high" DHI category, 4.42; and in the "very high" HDI category, 3.79. Conclusion:Mortality from oropharyngeal cancer was higher in the "medium" HDI category between 2002 and 2014.

Abstract:The transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß) is a cytokine that plays crucial roles in the regulation of angiogenesis, immune response, proliferation, migration and apoptosis of cells. In addition, it can inhibit cell progression and stimulate apoptosis in early stages of cancer. TGF-ß is a multifunctional homodimeric protein secreted by various cell lines, which have three different isoforms: TGF-ß1, TGF-ß2 and TGF-ß3. In normal conditions, TGF-ß1 activates some tumor suppressor cell signaling pathways that inhibit proliferation and are involved in cell migration, differentiation and apoptosis. However, in more advanced stages of cancer, when TGF-ß1 is altered, it acts as a promoter of tumorigenesis and may cause: 1) increased TGF-ß1, 2) overexpression of TGF-ß1 receptors (TßR), 3) TßR mutations, and 4) downregulation of TGF-beta receptor. In oral squamous cell carcinoma, the path is altered especially at the level of transmembrane receptors, with the TßR-II and TßR-III subtypes being the most affected. However, there is little information on the prognostic role it plays in the various types of cancers. It is important to study the signaling pathways of TGF-ß in order to develop techniques that may help detect their alterations and restore their normal operation. The objective of this review is to describe the alterations of TGF-ß in oral squamous cell carcinoma.