Baseline Impedance via Manometry Predicts Pathological Mean Nocturnal Baseline Impedance in Isolated Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Symptoms.

Background/aims: Distal mean nocturnal baseline impedance (MNBI) measuring via pH-impedance may be valuable in diagnosing patients with suspected laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). However, its wide adoption is hindered by cost and invasiveness. This study investigates whether baseline impedance measured during high-resolution impedance manometry (HRIM-BI) can predict pathological MNBI.

Link between pharyngeal acid reflux episodes and the effectiveness of proton pump inhibitor therapy.

Background: Diagnosing laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) is challenging due to overlapping symptoms. While proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are commonly prescribed, reliable predictors of their responsiveness are unclear. Reflux monitoring technologies like dual potential of hydrogen (pH) sensors and multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH (MII-pH) could improve diagnosis.

Author Correction: Ago2/CAV1 interaction potentiates metastasis via controlling Ago2 localization and miRNA action.

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Ago2/CAV1 interaction potentiates metastasis via controlling Ago2 localization and miRNA action.

Ago2 differentially regulates oncogenic and tumor-suppressive miRNAs in cancer cells. This discrepancy suggests a secondary event regulating Ago2/miRNA action in a context-dependent manner. We show here that a positive charge of Ago2 K212, that is preserved by SIR2-mediated Ago2 deacetylation in cancer cells, is responsible for the direct interaction between Ago2 and Caveolin-1 (CAV1).

Clinical outcomes of cetuximab-based treatment for distant metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: A real-world study using Taiwan Head Neck Society registry database.

Background: For R/M HNSCC, the differences in prognosis and treatment options between distant metastasis (DM) and locoregional recurrence, especially in the DM group, remain unclear.

Methods: From the Taiwan Head Neck Society registry database, patients who were diagnosed with R/M HNSCC and received cetuximab-based frontline therapy were collected for analysis.

Results: Among the enrolled patients, 59.

MAP7D3, a novel prognostic marker for triple-negative breast cancer, drives cell invasiveness and cancer-initiating cell properties to promote metastatic progression.

Background: Patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) tend to develop visceral metastasis within five years, making them the most challenging BC patients to treat. The MAP7 protein family is a group of microtubule-binding proteins with a well-known role in microtubule-related cell migration, but its role in metastasis-related properties of TNBC remains unclear.

Methods: qRT-PCR and western blot were used to validate mRNA and protein expression of the MAP7 family in the isogenic pairs of TNBC cell lines with low and high metastasis potential.

Diagnosis of Laryngopharyngeal Reflux: Past, Present, and Future-A Mini-Review.

Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) is a variant of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in which gastric refluxate irritates the lining of the aerodigestive tract and causes troublesome airway symptoms or complications. LPR is a prevalent disease that creates a significant socioeconomic burden due to its negative impact on quality of life, tremendous medical expense, and possible cancer risk. Although treatment modalities are similar between LPR and GERD, the diagnosis of LPR is more challenging than GERD due to its non-specific symptoms/signs.

Distal Mean Nocturnal Baseline Impedance Predicts Pathological Reflux of Isolated Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Symptoms.

Background/aims: Diagnosis of isolated laryngopharyngeal reflux symptoms (ILPRS), ie, without concomitant typical reflux symptoms (CTRS), remains difficult. Mean nocturnal baseline impedance (MNBI) reflects impaired mucosal integrity. We determined whether esophageal MNBI could predict pathological esophagopharyngeal reflux (pH+) in patients with ILPRS.

Validation of Pharyngeal Acid Reflux Episodes Using Hypopharyngeal Multichannel Intraluminal Impedance-pH.

Background/aims: Hypopharyngeal multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH (HMII-pH) technology incorporating 2 trans-upper esophageal sphincter impedance channels has been developed to detect pharyngeal reflux. We used the HMII-pH technique to validate the candidate pharyngeal acid reflux (PAR) episodes based on the dual-pH tracings and determined the interobserver reproducibility.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in tertiary centers in Taiwan.

Peri-Neural Invasion Is an Important Prognostic Factor of T2N0 Oral Cancer.

Unlabelled: : Among patients with pathologically proven T2N0 oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), a notable amount of patients still die from tumor recurrence although they have radical surgery for early stage cancers. In literature, the prognostic indicators of this specific disease entity were rarely reported. This study aims at analyzing the prognostic factors of T2N0 OSCC patients and discussing possible managements to improve the survival.

Survival outcomes of patients with head and neck squamous cell cancer with hepatitis B virus infection: An analysis from an endemic tertiary center.

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) affects the occurrence and survival outcome of various malignant disorders. The study aimed to evaluate the survival outcome of head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) patients with or without HBV infection.

Methods: This study included patients with HNSCC who visited Taichung Veterans General Hospital from 2007 to 2015.

Complications of pectoralis major myo-cutaneous flap, anterolateral thigh flap and radial forearm free flap after total laryngectomy with partial pharyngectomy: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Background: No consensus exists regarding the most effective reconstruction after total laryngectomy with partial pharyngectomy (TLwPP). This study aims to compare different reconstructive techniques (pectoralis major myo-cutaneous flap, PMMCF; anterolateral thigh flap, ALTF; radial forearm free flap, RFFF) after TLwPP in terms of pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF), stenosis and feeding tube dependence (FTD) incidence.

Methods: The Scopus, PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases were searched.

Different surgical approaches in retropharyngeal lymph nodes dissection in head and neck cancer: A systematic review.

Objective: To perform a systematic review of studies analyzing different surgical approaches in the treatment of retropharyngeal lymph node (RPLN) metastases.

Methods: The study was performed according to the PRISMA guidelines.

Results: Twenty-one studies were included in the review, for a total of 481 patients (median age: 55.

Correlations among the Mandarin Voice Handicap Index, its shortened version, and the Voice-Related Quality of Life Measure for laryngectomees.

Background: The Voice Handicap Index (VHI) and the Voice-Related Quality of Life Measure (V-RQOL) are seldom administered to alaryngeal patients who use pneumatic artificial larynx (PAL) and esophageal speech (ES). As such, the specificity of VHI and 10-item VHI (VHI-10) for assessing voice-related changes in such patients is unclear. Accordingly, this study investigated the correlation between scores on the VHI, its shortened version (VHI-10), and the V-RQOL for Mandarin-speaking laryngectomees using PAL and ES, with the aim of establishing which of these instruments is suited to such patients.

Oncological and Functional Outcomes of Transoral Robotic Surgery and Endoscopic Laryngopharyngeal Surgery for Hypopharyngeal Cancer: A Systematic Review.

Objectives: Hypopharyngeal carcinoma (HPC) is a head and neck carcinoma with poor prognosis. Traditional laryngopharyngectomy offered promising oncological outcomes at the cost of functional outcomes. The recent advent in transoral robotic surgery (TORS), an organ-preserving surgery, has opened up new perspectives in the treatment for HPC.

Transoral Robotic Surgery for Early-T Stage Glottic Cancer Involving the Anterior Commissure-News and Update.

Background: About 20% of all glottic carcinomas involve the anterior commissure (AC), and AC involvement was deemed to be a risk factor of local recurrence and poor prognosis. Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) has been developed for a panoramic view of the AC and en-bloc resection of the tumor by multidirectional dissection with endo-wristed instruments. With satisfactory preliminary results, we would like to update the data with a bigger cohort and present the news on using TORS for salvage treatment of recurrence from irradiation failure.

Less Is More? The Association between Survival and Follow-Up Protocol after Treatment in Oral Cavity Cancer Patients from a Betel Quid-Prevalent Region.

The optimal follow-up protocol after treatment of oral cavity cancer patients is still debatable. We aimed to investigate the impact of frequency of different imaging studies and follow-up visits on the survival of oral cavity cancer patients. The current study retrospectively reviewed oral cavity cancer patients who underwent surgical intervention in our hospital.

Voice-Related Quality of Life Outcomes from Pneumatic Artificial Laryngeal and Esophageal Speakers.

Unlabelled: The self-reporting voice-related quality of life (V-RQOL) instrument has been viewed as a modular index of quality of life for speakers using tracheoesophageal, esophageal (ES), or electrolaryngeal speech. However, V-RQOL has never been studied with pneumatic artificial laryngeal (PA) individuals. This study attempted to quantify the self-assessed voice-related performance of PA and ES speakers in Taiwan via the V-RQOL questionnaire, and further to compare the results for PA and ES speakers.

The Mandarin Voice Handicap Index for Laryngectomees With Pneumatic Artificial Laryngeal and Esophageal Speech.

Purpose The Voice Handicap Index (VHI) questionnaire assesses the impact of total laryngectomy on voice-related quality of life. This study evaluates the Mandarin VHI, including its internal consistency, test-retest reliability, content validity, and differences in scores for Mandarin alaryngeal patients with pneumatic artificial laryngeal (PA) and esophageal (ES) speech. Method Translation and validation of the VHI questionnaire was performed through the forward-backward translation technique.

Strategies for Highly Efficient Rabbit Sperm Cryopreservation.

The rabbit is a valuable animal for both the economy and biomedical sciences. Sperm cryopreservation is one of the most efficient ways to preserve rabbit strains because it is easy to collect ejaculate repeatedly from a single male and inseminate artificially into multiple females. During the cooling, freezing and thawing process of sperms, the plasma membrane, cytoplasm and genome structures could be damaged by osmotic stress, cold shock, intracellular ice crystal formation, and excessive production of reactive oxygen species.

Transoral Robotic Surgery for Pharyngeal and Laryngeal Cancers-A Prospective Medium-Term Study.

Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) has been used for treating pharyngeal and laryngeal cancers for many years. However, the application of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) before TORS, the sparing rate of adjuvant irradiation after TORS, and the long-term oncologic/functional outcomes of TORS are seldom reported. From September 2014 to May 2018, 30 patients with clinical T1 to T3 cancers of oropharynx (7), larynx (3), and hypopharynx (20) were prospectively recruited for TORS in a tertiary referral medical center.

Anatomical-based classification for transoral base of tongue resection.

Background: To propose a classification of transoral base of tongue (BOT) procedures able to provide uniform terminology in order to better define postoperative results.

Methods: The classification resulted from the consensus of the different authors and is based on anatomical and surgical principles.

Results: The classification comprises three types of BOT resections: type 1 is the resection of the entire lingual tonsil to the muscular plane; type 2 is performed by removing the entire lingual tonsil and part of BOT muscles; type 3 is performed by removing the entire lingual tonsil and the entire BOT muscles.