Objective Apigenin and kaempferol are plant flavonoids with reported chemopreventive activities. This study aimed to determine the effect of apigenin and kaempferol on cell viability in cultured cells derived from the pharynx (FaDu cell line), an oral cavity carcinoma (PCI-13 cell line), and a metastatic lymph node (PCI-15B cell line) and in explanted FaDu cells. Study Design The in vitro viability of FaDu, PCI-13, and PCI-15B cells treated with apigenin and kaempferol was determined. Tumor growth of FaDu explants was evaluated in athymic mice that were gavaged with either apigenin or kaempferol. Results Although apigenin and kaempferol treatment decreased viability of cells in vitro, cell-type-dependent differences in responsiveness were observed. In vivo apigenin treatment significantly increased the tumor size of FaDu explants. Results obtained using kaempferol were similar. Conclusions The in vitro decrease in FaDu cell viability by apigenin and kaempferol was not observed in in vivo tumor explants using the conditions described in this study.

Spontaneous perforation of the esophagus is an uncommon event; when it does occur, it usually aff ects the thoracic esophagus. We present a rare and fatal case of spontaneous perforation of the cervical esophagus in a 68-year-old woman. We believe this rupture was related to a proximal outlet obstruction secondary to cricopharyngeal muscle dysfunction.

Microvascular reconstruction following HYPERRADPLAT appears to result in a high number of arterial related complications. This experience implies an important delayed treatment effect of HYPERRADPLAT occurs upon recipient arteries. The manner in which this effect may occur in recipient arteries in the setting of more conventional chemoradiation requires further study.

Problem Dietary flavonoids are being investigated as chemopreventative agents for many cancers. The objective of this study was to determine whether the dietary flavonoids apigenin and kaempferol inhibit growth of malignant oral keratinocytes. Methods FaDu cells were treated with increasing concentrations of apigenin and kaempferol. After 24 and 48 hours cell growth was determined using the WST-1 assay. Three groups of nude mice (group 1-kaempferol, group 2-apigenin, group 3-controls) were treated by gavage for one week prior to inoculation with FaDu cells (1 × 105 cells) Following inoculation, treatments were continued until sacrifice. Tumor volumes were calculated from three dimensional tumor measurements. Results In vitro cell growth decreased with increasing concentrations of apigenin and kaempferol (p<0.001). In vivo tumor volume was significantly higher than controls for the apigenin group (p<0.03) but was marginally higher in kaempferol group (p=0.09) with an average volume of 3024mm3, 2610 mm3, and 1858 mm3 respectively. Conclusion Apigenin and kaempferol inhibited tumor cell growth in culture. However, in vivo results show that these substances increased tumor burden. This is in contrast to previous in vivo and in vitro prostate cell line models showing apigenin inhibition of tumor growth. Further studies are needed to better evaluate the effect these dietary flavonoids exert on squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Significance The role of these agents as chemopreventative agents for oral carcinoma is not supported by our data. Support University of Kentucky Department of Surgery Research Grant and NIH R-01 grant.