Bone resection for facial cutaneous malignancies.

Background And Objectives: The aim of this study is to analyze the clinical outcomes of patients who underwent bone resection for cutaneous malignancy of the face and scalp.

Methods: We retrospectively collected patient data from 62 patients who underwent bone resection for craniofacial cutaneous malignancy of the face and scalp over the last 10 years. We investigated risk factors for disease progression and assessed the utility of pre-operative imaging to predict bone, dura, and brain infiltration.

Factors predicting poor outcomes in T1N0 oral squamous cell carcinoma: indicators for treatment intensification.

Background: This study investigated the impact of adverse pathological features (APFs) amongst patients with T1N0 oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) on both tumour control and survival. We aimed to investigate clinicopathological factors that would predict poor outcomes and determine a clinically relevant threshold for the recommendation of additional treatment.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of 121 patients from a single institution (1988-2013) who were treated with surgery only (wide local excision of the primary tumour with or without neck dissection).

Perineural invasion in oral squamous cell carcinoma: quantitative subcategorisation of perineural invasion and prognostication.

Background: Evidence regarding the prognostic value of perineural invasion (PNI) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and whether PNI alone warrants consideration of adjuvant therapy is controversial. We evaluated whether histopathological sub-categorization of PNI improves risk stratification.

Methods: PNI was evaluated for nerve size, number of foci, and distance from the tumor in 318 OSCC patients.

Close margin alone does not warrant postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: There are major variations between institutions regarding postoperative adjuvant therapy for adverse features in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The authors' practice has been to not recommend any adjuvant therapy on the basis of close (<5 mm but uninvolved) margins unless there are additional adverse features. The primary objective of this study was to assess whether the local control achieved in this patient cohort was acceptable.

Imprinted polymers for chiral resolution of (±)-ephedrine, 4: packed column supercritical fluid chromatography using molecularly imprinted chiral stationary phases.

(-)-Ephedrine-molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have been successfully used as stationary phases in supercritical fluid chromatography for the separation of (±)-ephedrine enantiomers. This approach combines the simple preparation and predictable elution order of MIP stationary phases with the superior mobile phase diffusivity and low viscosity of supercritical fluid mobile phases. The optimised mobile phase comprised supercritical carbon dioxide with a modifier consisting of MeOH/isopropylamine/H(2)O 93:5:2 (v/v/v).

Assessment of second tier lymph nodes in melanoma and implications for extent of elective neck dissection in metastatic cutaneous malignancy of the parotid.

Background: The parotid is the commonest site of cutaneous metastases in the head and neck. The role and extent of neck dissection in patients with parotid metastatic cutaneous malignancy remains controversial.

Methods: We reviewed the lymphoscintigraphy and single photon emission CT (SPECT) of patients with melanoma who had a sentinel node in the parotid to determine the second tier cervical lymph nodes.

Orbital exenterations: an 18-year experience from a single head and neck unit.

Background: To review the outcomes of the patients who undergo orbital exenteration for malignancy.

Methods: A retrospective review of patients who underwent orbital exenteration performed at Royal Prince Alfred and Concord Hospitals between 1990 and 2008.

Results: A total of 38 patients were identified.

Chromatographic determination of solubilities in superheated water.

Superheated water (SHW) is an effective solvent for the extraction of a variety of environmental pollutants, but knowledge of the solubilities in water at elevated temperatures necessary to maximise the efficiency of the process is often lacking. Ambient temperature aqueous solubilities have been measured by reverse-phase HPLC from correlations with retention factors, k, but for poorly soluble organics the eluent must contain a proportion of organic modifier followed by extrapolation to pure water. The use of SHW as mobile phase allows direct determination of aqueous solubility from measurement of k on a modified HPLC system in which the eluent is cooled before detection to improve baseline stability.

Free flap reconstruction for melanoma of the head and neck: indications and outcomes.

Introduction: Occasionally, patients present with locally advanced melanoma of the head and neck involving deeper structures or with bulky local recurrence in regions with pre-existing surgical scars or previous irradiation. In these circumstances surgery may offer the only likely chance of local disease control and reconstruction of the ablation defect may require microvascular reconstruction. The primary aim of this study was to assess whether there was any evidence that adopting an aggressive surgical approach provided a survival benefit for these patients.

Outcomes of primary surgical treatment of T1 and T2 carcinomas of the oropharynx.

Objectives: Oropharyngeal cancers represent 10%-15% of all head and neck cancers. At presentation 60%-70% will have advanced-stage disease with a high incidence of neck metastases. Primary treatment employing radiotherapy, with or without chemotherapy, is widely prescribed.

Accuracy of positron emission tomography in the evaluation of patients treated with chemoradiotherapy for mucosal head and neck cancer.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of positron emission tomography (PET) in assessing the patients treated with primary chemoradiotherapy for mucosal carcinoma of the head and neck.

Methods: A retrospective review of patients with biopsy-proven cancer of mucosal head and neck sites receiving chemoradiotherapy with curative intent was undertaken.

Results: Seventy-eight patients met the study criteria.

Interaction of soil, water and TNT during degradation of TNT on contaminated soil using subcritical water.

Subcritical water was used at laboratory scale to reveal information with respect to the degradation mechanism of TNT on contaminated soil. Highly contaminated soil (12% TNT) was heated with water at four different temperatures, 150, 175, 200 and 225 degrees C and samples were obtained at appropriate time intervals. At the same time, similar experiments were performed with TNT spiked on to clean soil, sand and pure water in order to compare and eliminate various factors that may be present in the more complex contaminated soil system.

Implications for clinical staging of metastatic cutaneous squamous carcinoma of the head and neck based on a multicenter study of treatment outcomes.

Background: Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the head and neck is a common cancer that has the potential to metastasize to lymph nodes in the parotid gland and neck. Previous studies have highlighted limitations with the current TNM staging system for metastatic skin carcinoma. The aim of this study was to test a new staging system that may provide better discrimination between patient groups.

Outcome of treatment for advanced cervical metastatic squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Patients with advanced cervical metastases from mucosal squamous cell carcinoma have a poor prognosis because of their high risk of regional and distal failure. This study aims to evaluate the outcomes of patients with clinical N2 or N3 disease managed with surgery and postoperative radiotherapy.

Methods: From a comprehensive computerized database, 181 entered patients who had neck dissection for N2 or N3 disease between 1988 and 1999 were evaluated.

Manipulation of the stereochemical outcome and product distribution in the Henry reaction using CO2 pressure.

The rate and stereocontrol of the Henry reaction in the presence of CO(2) can be controlled simply by manipulation of CO(2) pressure, and can be understood by consideration of the kinetic and thermodynamic aspects of the reaction.

Treatment of advanced cancer of the larynx and hypopharynx with chemoradiation.

Aim: To analyze the outcome of patients diagnosed with advanced cancer of the larynx and hypopharynx treated with combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy at Sydney Cancer Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia.

Methods: Analysis of prospectively gathered data concerning patients treated between 1994 and 2000 in a multidisciplinary, tertiary referral head and neck service. Outcome measures were: treatment toxicity, locoregional tumour control, and disease specific survival.

Reactions in unusual media.

This review provides an introduction to three of the most well-developed solvent replacement strategies currently under investigation for synthetic chemistry: Ionic liquids, fluorous phase techniques, and supercritical carbon dioxide. They are all fascinating reaction media, and have considerable potential for use in pharmaceutical synthesis. However, this has to be balanced with problems and limitations of the new methods.

Tumor thickness influences prognosis of T1 and T2 oral cavity cancer--but what thickness?

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated that tumor thickness might influence prognosis in oral cancer, but the significant point at which outcome changes has varied from 1.5 mm to 6 mm. The clinical relevance of thickness remains unclear, and a reproducible prognostic "breakpoint" needs to be defined.

Clinical outcome following total laryngectomy for cancer.

Background: Patients with advanced cancers of the larynx and hypopharynx have been treated with total laryngectomy at the Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney in the past. Increasingly, these patients are being managed with organ-sparing protocols using chemo-therapy and radiotherapy. The aim of the present study was to review complication, recurrence and survival rates following total laryngectomy.

Supercritical fluids and their applications in biotechnology and related areas.

This article serves as an overview, introducing the currently popular area of supercritical fluids (SFs) and their uses in biotechnology and related areas. It covers the fundamentals of supercritical science and moves on to the biotechnological and associated applications of these fluids. Subject areas covered include pure substances as supercritical fluids, the properties of supercritical fluids, organic cosolvents, solubility, and the following applications: extraction, chromatography, reactions, particle production, deposition, and the drying of biological specimens.

The Baylis-Hillman reaction in supercritical carbon dioxide: enhanced reaction rates, unprecedented ether formation, and a novel phase-dependent 3-component coupling.

The Baylis-Hillman reaction can be efficiently carried out in scCO2 with enhanced reaction rates relative to comparable solution phase reactions; at low pressures, a novel dimerisation is observed which has led to the development of a novel one-pot three component coupling reaction to form highly functionalized ethers.

Life-threatening anaphylactoid reaction to amifostine used with concurrent chemoradiotherapy for nasopharyngeal cancer in a patient with dermatomyositis: a case report with literature review.

Dermatomyositis is associated with malignancy in approximately 20-25% of cases. The most common associated cancers are ovarian, lung, pancreatic, stomach, colon and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Nasopharyngeal cancer is not common in the Caucasian population; however, there is a much higher incidence in Asian patients.