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BMC Cancer 2019 Feb 15;19(1):155. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Plastic Surgery, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Ernst-Grube-Str, 40 06097, Halle/Saale, Germany.

Background: The human leucine-rich, repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor 5 (LGR5) is a stem cell marker in numerous adult tissues and is overexpressed in a large number of human carcinoma including colon cancer, breast cancer and oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC). The role of the full length transcript (LGR5FL) in progression and prognosis of several cancers was reported. However, the biological function of three splice variants of LGR5 (LGR5Δ5, LGR5Δ8 and LGR5Δ5-8) has yet to be thoroughly investigated. Read More

Cir Cir 2019 ;87(2):141-145

Departamento de Tumores de Cabeza y Cuello, Hospital de Oncología, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Ciudad de México, México.

Introduction: Patients with bulky metastases of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck represent a challenge for the therapeutic decision; balance between oncological control and complications should be achieved. The therapeutic sequence has no impact on survival but sequelae.

Objective: We analyze the oncological results in patients with bulky metastases on the neck treated with induction chemotherapy and with up-front neck dissection. Read More

Head Neck 2019 Feb 14. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

Department of Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology, Netherlands Cancer Institute - Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Background: Parotidectomy in melanoma of the coronal scalp and face with clinically involved cervical lymph node metastasis is based on predicted cervical lymphatic drainage described by O'Brien.

Methods: In total, 40 parotidectomies with en bloc therapeutic neck dissection were retrospectively analyzed.

Results: Lymphatic spread of melanoma to the parotid lymph nodes was observed in 10 of 40 specimens (25%). Read More

Thyroid 2019 Feb;29(2):229-236

1 Department of Head and Neck Surgery, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.

Background: Primary malignant thyroid teratomas are very rare tumors (fewer than 35 previously reported cases in the literature) typically affecting young adult women. While prognosis is poor, there have been some reports of successful treatment regimens. Four cases treated successfully are reported, and a review of the existing literature is provided. Read More

Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2019 Feb 12. Epub 2019 Feb 12.

Department of Human Pathology, Division of Pathology and Microbiology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Itabashi-ku, 173-8610, Tokyo, Japan.

Purpose: Treatment guidelines have not been established for unknown primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). For these patients, chemoradiotherapy (CRT) can provide a better prognosis than that for patients with other head and neck cancers. The presence of HPV in the tumor is associated with a better outcome. Read More

Adv Otorhinolaryngol 2019 12;83:76-89. Epub 2019 Feb 12.

Department of Head and Neck Surgical Oncology, UMC Utrecht Cancer Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The

The management of hypopharyngeal cancer is challenging because of poor patient survival and the potential effects of treatment on breathing, voice and swallowing. In general, early stage hypopharyngeal cancer can be primarily treated by radiotherapy or conservative transoral or open surgery, whereas advanced stage hypopharyngeal cancer can be treated by non-surgical protocols if the patient has no loss of functions (dysfunctional larynx) and/or cartilage invasion (T4a). Factors to determine individualized patient treatment include resectability, tumour volume, distant metastases, comorbidity, age, patient's preference, functional imaging parameters, response on induction chemotherapy and employing functional imaging parameters performed in the pre-treatment phase and repeated in the early treatment phase when employing a non-surgical treatment strategy. Read More

Arch Gynecol Obstet 2019 Feb 12. Epub 2019 Feb 12.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Saarland, 66424, Homburg, Saar, Germany.

Purpose: In previous studies, we have shown that SEC62 has an essential function in cell migration, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and endoplasmic reticulum stress tolerance of cancer cells. SEC62 expression correlated with distant and lymph node metastasis and poor outcome in different cancer entities. In this initial study, we investigated SEC62 expression and its possible role as a prognostic and predictive biomarker in breast cancer (BC). Read More

Thyroid 2019 Feb 12. Epub 2019 Feb 12.

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Department of Surgery, Head and Neck Service , New York, New York, United States ;

Background: Poorly differentiated thyroid cancer (PDTC) is a rare but clinically highly significant entity because it accounts for most fatalities from non-anaplastic follicular cell-derived thyroid cancer. Due to the relative rarity of the disease and heterogeneous diagnostic criteria, studies on PDTC have been limited. In light of the evolution of ultra deep next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies and through correlation of clinico-pathological and genomic characteristics of PDTC, an improved understanding of the biology of PDTC has been facilitated. Read More

Open Access Maced J Med Sci 2019 Jan 3;7(1):19-23. Epub 2019 Jan 3.

Institute of Pathology, Medical Faculty, Ss Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia.

Background: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the lower lip is a relatively rare carcinoma, with the incidence of 1 to 2%, but it is the most common carcinoma in the oral cavity accounting for 25-30% of all malignant oral tumours.

Aim: This study aimed to determine the role of neovascularisation in the process of tumour progression.

Methods: We analysed the surgical specimens obtained from 60 patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the lower lip. Read More

J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2019 Jan 15. Epub 2019 Jan 15.

Assistant Professor, Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY. Electronic address:

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to present the characteristics and survival outcomes of primary gingival squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

Materials And Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study using data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) tumor registry. Patients who received a diagnosis of primary gingival SCC were included in the analyses. Read More

Oral Oncol 2019 Feb 2;89:115-120. Epub 2019 Jan 2.

Lineberger Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.

Objective: There is considerable variation in the travel required for a patient with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) to receive a diagnosis. The impact of this travel on the late diagnosis of cancer remains unexamined, even though presenting stage is the strongest predictor of mortality. Our aim is to determine whether travel time affects HNSCC stage at diagnosis independently of other risk factors, and whether this association is affected by socioeconomic status. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2019 Feb;98(6):e14426

Department of Radiology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.

Rationale: Intraductal tubulopapillary neoplasm (ITPN) is a rare type of pancreatic epithelial neoplasm. We report 2 cases of ITPN and detail the imaging findings.

Patient Concerns: The 1st case was a 36-year-old woman who complained of jaundice, yellow urine and diarrhea. Read More

Front Oncol 2019 22;9. Epub 2019 Jan 22.

Department of Head and Neck Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan.

Induction chemotherapy (IC) is a treatment option for locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (LA SCCHN). However, treatment with docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-FU (TPF) followed by cisplatin and radiotherapy is controversial because of toxicity concerns. The aim of this phase II study was to assess the feasibility of docetaxel, cisplatin, and cetuximab (TPEx) followed by cetuximab and concurrent radiotherapy for LA SCCHN. Read More

Case Rep Pathol 2019 6;2019:3863270. Epub 2019 Jan 6.

Department of Pathology at Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA.

Myoepithelial carcinoma is an uncommon tumor of the salivary glands, most commonly the parotid gland. Clear cell myoepithelial carcinoma is a rare variant with an aggressive behavior. Here, we describe a case of clear cell myoepithelial carcinoma arising from the hard palate in an elderly male who underwent resection of the tumor and postop radiation. Read More

J Cancer 2019 1;10(3):772-778. Epub 2019 Jan 1.

Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China.

Extensive lateral neck dissection (LND), especially routine level V dissection, may potentially increase morbidity and have no significant benefit to survival in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Our study aimed to determine the pattern and risk factors for level V lymph node metastasis (LNM) and to develop an assessment model based on a nomogram for predicting whether level V dissection is necessary. A total of 1037 PTC patients with clinically suspected LNM (N1b) who underwent total thyroidectomy (TT) with central LND and unilateral LND from 2011 to 2015 were retrospectively retrieved. Read More

Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am 2019 03;48(1):239-252

Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 1830 East Monument Street, Suite 333, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.

Serum thyroglobulin monitoring along with anatomic and functional imaging play key roles in the surveillance of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer after initial treatment. Among patients with a disease stage justifying thyroid remnant ablation or with suspected metastatic disease, radioiodine whole-body scans are essential in the months after surgery. For patients with low to moderate-risk cancers, ultrasonography of the neck (with measurement of serum thyroglobulin on thyroid hormone replacement) are the best initial diagnostic modalities, and are often the only tests required. Read More

JAMA Netw Open 2019 Feb 1;2(2):e187754. Epub 2019 Feb 1.

Department of Surgery and Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California.

Importance: Suppression of thyrotropin (often referred to as thyroid-stimulating hormone, or TSH) with levothyroxine used in management of intermediate- and high-risk differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) to reduce the likelihood of progression and death is based on conflicting evidence.

Objective: To examine a cohort of patients with intermediate- and high-risk DTC to assess the association of thyrotropin suppression with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This cohort study used a multicenter database analysis including patients from tertiary referral centers and local clinics followed up for a mean (SD) of 7. Read More

Zhonghua Er Bi Yan Hou Tou Jing Wai Ke Za Zhi 2019 Jan;54(1):23-27

Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Cancer Hosptial, Beijing Institute for Cancer Research, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Beijing 100142, China.

To investigate the diagnostic performance of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology for the detection of lateral lymph node metastases in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). A total of 109 lateral lymph nodes with suspicious metastases from 85 patients were retrospectively subjected to FNAC, fine-needle aspiration thyroglobulin measurement (FNATg), and FNATg/SerumTg measurement. Lymph node pathological results after surgery were taken as the gold standard. Read More

Turk Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2018 Dec 26;56(4):210-216. Epub 2018 Oct 26.

Department of Otorhinolaryngology, İstanbul University School of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.

Objective: We present 11 patients with distant metastases to the head and neck from an infraclavicularly located primary tumor and discuss the management strategies including the clinical presentation, treatment modalities, and prognosis.

Methods: The retrospective data of the pathology reports and operation notes of 1239 patients who had undergone any kind of oncological surgical intervention between 2005 and 2017 were analyzed. All of the 11 patients included in the study were evaluated in our department's tumor board, and all patients with an operable lesion had undergone surgery. Read More

Head Neck 2019 Jan 29. Epub 2019 Jan 29.

Division of Surgical Oncology, Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon.

Background: We report the performance of a gene expression profile test to classify the recurrence risk of cutaneous melanoma tumors of the head and neck as low-risk Class 1 or high-risk Class 2.

Methods: Of note, 157 primary head and neck cutaneous melanoma tumors were identified. Survival analyses were performed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox methods. Read More

Head Neck 2019 Jan 28. Epub 2019 Jan 28.

Department of Head and Neck Surgical Oncology, UMC Utrecht Cancer Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Background: To investigate if depth of invasion (DOI) can predict occult nodal disease in patients with cT1-2N0 (7th TNM) oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) staged by sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB).

Methods: In 199 OSCC patients, DOI measurements and SLNB were performed.

Results: Metastases were found in 64 of 199 patients (32%). Read More

J Invest Dermatol 2019 Jan 23. Epub 2019 Jan 23.

Kinghorn Centre for Clinical Genomics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, Australia; Children's Cancer Institute, Kensington, Australia; St Vincent's Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia.

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) from the head and neck typically metastasizes to the lymph nodes of the neck and parotid glands. When a primary is not identified, they are difficult to distinguish from metastases of mucosal origin and primary salivary gland SCC. Ultraviolet radiation causes a mutation pattern that predominantly features cytosine to thymine transitions at dipyrimidine sites and has been associated with cSCC. Read More

Mol Clin Oncol 2019 Feb 27;10(2):231-234. Epub 2018 Nov 27.

Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University Heidelberg, D-68167 Mannheim, Germany.

Lung cancer rarely metastasizes to the palatine tonsil. There have only been a few cases that have reported on palatine tonsillar metastases of pulmonary adenocarcinoma. In the majority of these cases the primary diagnosis is a small cell lung cancer. Read More

Acta Otolaryngol 2019 Jan 24:1-6. Epub 2019 Jan 24.

a Department of Otolaryngology, and Head & Neck Surgery , Kanazawa University , Kanazawa , Japan.

Background: In sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy for head and neck cancers, the radioisotope method has been the gold standard. However, this method has several problems, such as unavoidable radiation exposure and requirements of expensive equipment.

Aims/objectives: To overcome these problems, we evaluated the contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS)-guided SLN-detection method, and predicted the SLN metastatic status using novel ultrasound technology, superb microvascular imaging (SMI). Read More

Case Rep Otolaryngol 2018 23;2018:7860384. Epub 2018 Dec 23.

Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University of West Virginia, Morgantown, WV, USA.

Distant metastasis to the jaws, including the maxilla or mandible, is very rare. Although the mandible is the preferred sight of these rare metastases, it is extremely rare for oral cavity malignancies to present as pathological mandibular fractures. Here, we present a case of esophageal adenocarcinoma metastasizing to the mandible, and the first reported case presenting with a pathological mandibular fracture secondary to esophageal adenocarcinoma. Read More

Jpn J Clin Oncol 2019 Jan 22. Epub 2019 Jan 22.

Department of Head and Neck Surgery, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Chiba, Japan.

The standard local treatment for early-stage tongue cancer with no clinical lymph node metastases is partial glossectomy. The frequency of occult lymph node metastasis is ~20-30%. Thus, whether prophylactic neck dissection with glossectomy or glossectomy alone should be performed has been a controversial issue since the 1980s. Read More

Head Neck 2019 Jan 21. Epub 2019 Jan 21.

Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Background: Metastatic paragangliomas are rare neuroendocrine tumors. Bony metastases most commonly occur in the ribs, vertebrae, and pelvis. Few cases of mandibular metastases have been reported. Read More

Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2019 Jan 16. Epub 2019 Jan 16.

Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Maxillofacial, and Thyroid Surgery, Fondazione IRCCS, National Cancer Institute of Milan.

Purpose Of Review: To present the current status of knowledge regarding radiation-induced papillary thyroid cancer (RIPTC), defining its epidemiologic, pathologic, and clinical characteristics, with ensuing possible therapeutic and prognostic consequences.

Recent Findings: Cumulative evidence shows that RIPTC resembles sporadic papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) of comparable age, both in terms of clinical-pathological features and prognosis. Therefore, more aggressive treatment does not seem to be required when managing RIPTC as its prognosis is comparable to that of never-irradiated patients. Read More

Head Neck 2019 Jan 19. Epub 2019 Jan 19.

Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Background: Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play a role in thyroid cancer tumor progression and metastasis. This study aimed to investigate the association of TAM density and cluster of differentiation 68 (CD68) expression with thyroid tumors as a prognostic marker and the relationship of these factors with BRAF mutations.

Methods: This study included 275 thyroid specimen tissues, including benign and malignant lesions. Read More

Head Neck 2019 Jan 19. Epub 2019 Jan 19.

Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Liverpool Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Background: The 8th edition AJCC staging of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (cSCCHN) incorporated extranodal extension (ENE) for the first time. This study compared the prognostic performance of the 7th and 8th edition staging for cSCCHN with nodal metastases.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of 96 patients with metastatic cSCCHN, comparing the ability of staging systems to predict disease-specific and overall survival (OS) using the proportion of variation explained and Harrell's C-index. Read More

Head Neck 2019 Jan 19. Epub 2019 Jan 19.

Department of Head and Neck Diseases, Evangelical Hospital Vienna, Vienna, Austria.

Background: The purpose of this study was to analyze and compare ipsilateral and bilateral adjuvant radiotherapy in patients with cancer of unknown primary (CUP) of the head and neck.

Methods: Overall survival, recurrence-free survival, and radiation-induced side effects were assessed in 76 patients with CUP who underwent ipsilateral (n = 29) or bilateral (n = 47) radiotherapy.

Results: At a median follow-up of 41 months, the 5-year overall survival and recurrence-free rate were 67. Read More

Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2019 Jan 18. Epub 2019 Jan 18.

Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Integrata di Trieste-ASUITS, Strada di Fiume 447, 39149, Trieste, Italy.

Purpose: In a previous study, we gave a surgical description of a group of lymph nodes in the submandibular area at risk of remaining undissected during neck dissection (ND) for which we have proposed the term "perimarginal nodes" (PMNs) due to their proximity to marginal mandibular nerve (MMN). The aim of this study is to evaluate prevalence of PMNs involvement in oral cavity squamous cell cancer (OCSCC) and to verify if metastases are related to primary tumor characteristics or to the state of the neck.

Methods: We recruited a total of 39 consecutive patients diagnosed with OCSCC candidate to ND. Read More

Ann Oncol 2019 Jan 18. Epub 2019 Jan 18.

Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and Audiology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Background: In the era of precision medicine and HPV related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) it is relevant to assess the risk of not only survival, but also the risk of local, regional or distant treatment failure. The UICC 8th edition uses the surrogate marker p16 to stratify for HPV association but discordance between p16 status and HPV association has been shown. The purpose of this study was to develop a prognostic model to predict the risk of local, regional, and distant metastases and non-cancer-related death for patients with OPSCC, test the prognostic relevance of adding HPV DNA and p16 status, and validate the findings in an independent external dataset. Read More

Head Neck 2019 Jan 16. Epub 2019 Jan 16.

Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Clínico Universitario San Carlos, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria San Carlos (IdISSC), Madrid, Spain.

Background: Recently, nivolumab was approved in the second-line setting of squamous cell cancer of the head and neck (SCCHN). The benefits of PD-(L)1 inhibitors in PD-L1(-) tumors are unclear, and no reports exist on the activity of these agents in brain metastases from SCCHN. Little is known regarding the mechanisms underlying acquired resistance to PD-(L)1 inhibition. Read More

Curr Health Sci J 2018 Jul-Sep;44(3):211-224. Epub 2018 Jul 15.

Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Romania.

Tongue squamous cell carcinoma is one of the most commonly diagnosed intraoral squamous cell carcinomas (25-40%), being considered an aggressive form of squamous cell carcinoma, as it is most commonly associated with lymph node metastases and the survival rate at five years is below 50%. In according with these data, we have proposed in this study to individualize an epidemiological and histopathological profile of the patients with such oral cancers, diagnosed and treated in the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinic and in the Otolaryngology Surgery Clinic of the Emergency Clinical County Hospital Craiova, between 2015-2017. The cases were histopathologically reassessed according to the latest WHO classification of head and neck tumors, the variables of interest being the age of the patients, the gender, the lesion topography, the histological subtype, the degree of tumor differentiation, the pTNM stage, the resection margin status and the Brandwein-Gensler prognostic score. Read More

JAMA Netw Open 2018 Oct 5;1(6):e183242. Epub 2018 Oct 5.

Department of Radiation Oncology, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Medical Center, Taoyuan City, Taiwan.

Importance: A survival prediction model for patients with bone metastases arising from lung cancer would be highly valuable.

Objective: To develop and validate a nomogram for assessing the survival probability of patients with metastatic lung cancer receiving radiotherapy for osseous metastases.

Design, Setting, Participants: In this prognostic study, the putative prognostic indicators for constructing the nomogram were identified using multivariable Cox regression analysis with backward elimination and model selection based on the Akaike information criterion. Read More

JAMA Netw Open 2018 Aug 3;1(4):e181390. Epub 2018 Aug 3.

Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston.

Importance: Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) is first-line treatment for patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who cannot undergo surgery. However, up to 1 in 6 such patients will develop isolated local recurrence (iLR) or isolated regional recurrence (iRR). Little is known about outcomes when disease recurs after SABR, or about optimal management strategies for such recurrences. Read More

Virchows Arch 2019 Jan 15. Epub 2019 Jan 15.

Department of Pathology, Penn State College of Medicine and Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, 500 University Drive, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA.

"Follicular variant" papillary thyroid carcinomas (FV-PTC) that do not histologically invade have a miniscule risk of metastasis, and thus been reclassified as a tumor of low malignant potential, the non-invasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFTP). There are few molecular studies of this tumor type. We performed gene expression analysis, by RNA sequencing, on a series of FV-PTCs, NIFTPs, and follicular adenomas. Read More

Int Forum Allergy Rhinol 2019 Jan 15. Epub 2019 Jan 15.

Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.

Background: Sinonasal adenoid cystic carcinoma (SNACC) is a rare malignancy with a propensity for distant metastasis. In this study we describe the incidence and determinants of survival among patients with SNACC between the years 2004 and 2012 using the National Cancer Database (NCDB).

Methods: This was a retrospective, population-based cohort study performed at a tertiary academic medical center. Read More

Oral Oncol 2019 Jan 9. Epub 2019 Jan 9.

Pathology Unit, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.

Solitary fibrous tumor is an uncommon neoplasm with unpredictable clinical behavior. Malignant solitary fibrous tumor is a rare morphological variant with more aggressive behavior and higher rates of local recurrences and distant metastasis, exceeding rare in oral cavity; our case occurred in the floor of the mouth in the sublingual gland. Read More

J Korean Assoc Oral Maxillofac Surg 2018 Dec 28;44(6):282-288. Epub 2018 Dec 28.

Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the neck node metastasis pattern and related clinical factors in oral cavity cancer patients.

Materials And Methods: In total, 76 patients (47 males, 29 females) with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) who had no previous malignancies and were not undergoing neoadjuvant concomitant chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy were selected for analysis.

Results: Occult metastases were found in 8 of 52 patients with clinically negative nodes (cN0, 15. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2019 Jan;98(2):e13804

Department of Veteran Affairs, Bruce W. Carter VA Medical Center, Miami, FL.

Rationale: While checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized the treatment of melanoma, it is not known whether switching from one monoclonal antibody drug to another one would be justified in the case of a treatment failure. Herein, we report a case illustrating a durable response to pembrolizumab after a failure with nivolumab.

Patient Concerns: A 76-year-old white male noticed an enlarging papular lesion on his neck. Read More

World J Surg Oncol 2019 Jan 10;17(1):13. Epub 2019 Jan 10.

Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8549, Japan.

Background: Metastasis of oral cancer to the buccinator lymph nodes (BN) is uncommon. The antegrade lymphatic flow in patients with normal anatomy and physiology makes metastasis of lower gingival cancer to BN unlikely.

Case Presentation: A 67-year-old woman presented with a 46 × 25-mm tumor on her lower gingiva, along with metastatic foci in BN and cervical lymph nodes. Read More

Am J Dermatopathol 2019 Jan 3. Epub 2019 Jan 3.

Unit of Ocular Oncology, Department of Surgery and Translational Medicine, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy.

Synovial sarcoma (SS) is a high-grade soft-tissue sarcoma occurring predominantly in older children and young adults. Only approximately 7% occur in the head and neck region, with SS representing less than 0.1% of all head and neck cancers. Read More

Neoplasia 2019 02 7;21(2):216-229. Epub 2019 Jan 7.

State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Dept. of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, No. 14, Sec. 3, Renminnan Road, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China. Electronic address:

Background: Dormancy is one characteristic of cancer cells to make patients remain asymptomatic before metastasis and relapse, which is closely related to the survival rate of cancer patients, including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). PRRX1 has previously been implicated in the invasion and metastasis of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in different types of human carcinoma. However, whether PRRX1 can regulate cancer dormancy and its reactivation, leading to the migration and invasion of HNSCC cells, remains elusive. Read More

Head Neck 2019 Jan 8. Epub 2019 Jan 8.

Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan.

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of retropharyngeal lymph node (RPLN) dissection in the surgical treatment of hypopharyngeal cancer.

Methods: Between 2007 and 2016, 98 previously untreated patients with pathological diagnosed hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma underwent total pharyngolaryngectomy and bilateral neck dissection at Kobe University Hospital. Bilateral dissection of RPLN was simultaneously performed in all patients. Read More

Cancer 2019 Jan 8. Epub 2019 Jan 8.

Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.

Background: The objective of the current study was to characterize the incidence, pattern, and impact on oncologic outcomes of retropharyngeal lymph node (RPLN) involvement in human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal cancer (OPC).

Methods: Data regarding patients with HPV-associated OPC who were treated at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center with intensity-modulated radiotherapy from 2004 through 2013 were analyzed retrospectively. RPLN status was determined by reviewing pretreatment imaging and/or reports. Read More

Thyroid 2019 Jan 31. Epub 2019 Jan 31.

1 Department of ORL-Head & Neck Surgery and Audiology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.

Background: Survival of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) subgroups in relation to the general population is poorly described. Data on the factors predicting long-term biochemical cure in MTC patients are nonexistent at a population level. A nationwide retrospective cohort study of MTC in Denmark from 1997 to 2014 was conducted, aiming to detect subgroups with survival similar to that of the general population and to identify prognostic factors for disease-specific survival and long-term biochemical cure. Read More

Oral Oncol 2019 Jan 16;88:9-15. Epub 2018 Nov 16.

Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA. Electronic address:

Objectives: Salvage surgical resection is the preferred treatment for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients who develop locally recurrent disease after failing primary therapy. However, salvage surgical resection is not always feasible, and survival outcomes for those that do undergo salvage remain poor. It is well known that patients with adverse pathological features (extracapsular extension (ECE) of lymph nodes (LN), positive margins, perineural invasion (PNI), lymphovascular invasion (LVI), and multiple LN metastases) at the time of primary surgical resection are likely to have relatively poor outcomes. Read More

Oral Oncol 2019 Jan 30;88:145-152. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

Institute of Head and Neck Studies and Education (InHANSE), Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom. Electronic address:

Metastases to the cervical lymph nodes from a occult primary (CUP) of head and neck squamous carcinomas has been increasing in presentation (HNSCC). Modern diagnostic workup, including clinical evaluation, conventional imaging, FDG-PET/CT and panendoscopy/tonsillectomy enables detection of the primary site in over half of all cases, and is associated with significantly improved survival rates. Recent studies have demonstrated the utility of novel molecular pathology and transoral surgical techniques in improving diagnosis and treatment. Read More