Pleomorphic dermal sarcoma of the auricular helix.

Cutaneous malignancies of the head and neck are common; however, superficial sarcomas of the head and neck are relatively rare. We present a 71-year-old unhoused gentleman with challenging access to medical care and poor health literacy who presented with a large, isolated, pedunculated mass of the left auricular helix. Preoperative biopsy was compatible with pleomorphic dermal sarcoma (PDS).

The Use of Chatbots in Head and Neck Mucosal Malignancy Treatment Recommendations.

Objective: As cancer patients increasingly use chatbots, it is crucial to recognize ChatGPT's potential in enhancing health literacy while ensuring validation to prevent misinformation. This study aims to assess ChatGPT-3.5's capability to provide appropriate staging and treatment recommendations for head and neck mucosal malignancies for vulnerable populations.

Symptomatic carotid stenosis in Eagle syndrome managed with traditional endarterectomy and styloidectomy.

Eagle syndrome represents an anatomic variant present in 4% of the population. It is characterized by an elongated styloid process or ossified stylohyoid ligament with resultant irritation of cervical neurovascular structures. Common manifestations include craniofacial or cervical pain related to compression of the glossopharyngeal nerve.

Managing Oromandibular Hardware Failure after Free Flap Surgery.

Hardware failure after oromandibular reconstruction using free tissue transfer can delay additional therapies directed at cancer treatment and prevent patients from returning to normal oral function. Understanding and strict adherence to principles of rigid fixation is critical in preventing complications. Early surgical intervention for hardware exposure as well as utilization of locoregional flaps may prevent the need for more extensive revision surgery.

Oropharyngeal reconstruction after transoral robotic surgery.

Purpose Of Review: Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) has experienced an evolution in recent years. This technique has proved to be a safe and effective method for extirpation of select oropharyngeal tumors. Advances in technology as well as improved surgeon experience allow for the resection of larger, more complex cancers.

The Promise of Circulating Tumor DNA in Head and Neck Cancer.

As the seventh most common cancer globally, head and neck cancers (HNC) exert considerable disease burden, with an estimated 277,597 deaths worldwide in 2020 alone. Traditional risk factors for HNC include tobacco, alcohol, and betel nut; more recently, human papillomavirus has emerged as a distinct driver of disease. Currently, limitations of cancer screening and surveillance methods often lead to identifying HNC in more advanced stages, with associated poor outcomes.

Current Trends in Precision Medicine and Next-Generation Sequencing in Head and Neck Cancer.

As the field of oncology enters the era of precision medicine and targeted therapies, we have come to realize that there may be no single "magic bullet" for patients with head and neck cancer. While immune check point inhibitors and some targeted therapeutics have shown great promise in improving oncologic outcomes, the current standard of care in most patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains a combination of surgery, radiation, and/or cytotoxic chemotherapy. Nevertheless, advances in precision medicine, next-generation sequencing (NGS), and targeted therapies have a potential future in the treatment of HNSCC.

Predictors of survival following carotid blowout syndrome.

Objectives: Carotid blowout syndrome (CBS) is a rare, life-threatening complication for patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). The primary objective was to identify factors associated with survival following CBS.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective analysis of HNC patients treated at a single tertiary care hospital with CBS between 2016 and 2020 was performed.

Postoperative Radiation Therapy in Oral Cavity Verrucous Carcinoma.

Objectives/hypothesis: We investigate the clinicopathologic and treatment factors associated with the use of postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) and its effect on overall survival (OS) for patients with oral cavity verrucous carcinoma (VC).

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study of the National Cancer Database (NCDB) from 2006 to 2015 was performed.

Meta-Analysis illustrates possible role of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced tissue injury in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) pathogenesis.

Background: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a cancer of epithelial origin with a high incidence in certain populations. While NPC has a high remission rate with concomitant chemoradiation, recurrences are frequent, and the downstream morbidity of treatment is significant. Thus, it is imperative to find alternative therapies.

Hyoid Suspension With UPPP for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

This retrospective evaluation of surgical outcomes for hyomandibular suspension when performed with uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Thirty-nine patients with moderate-to-severe OSA were treated with hyoid myotomy and suspension and uvulopalatopharyngoplasty. Patients underwent hyoid advancement and suspension to the mandible (Encore System) with either staged or concurrent UPPP.

The Role of Hyperbaric Oxygen in Head and Neck Reconstruction and Facial Cosmetic Surgery.

Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) is a treatment modality with the primary mechanism of therapy being the delivery of oxygen to hypoxic tissues. A review of HBO applications in the field of head and neck reconstruction and facial cosmetic surgery is provided. HBO can be useful in the management of radiation sequelae and treatment of compromised flaps and grafts.

Time to Surgery and Survival in Head and Neck Cancer.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has required triage and delays in surgical care throughout the world. The impact of these surgical delays on survival for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains unknown.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study of 37 730 patients in the National Cancer Database with HNSCC who underwent primary surgical management from 2004 to 2016 was performed.

Predictors of Postoperative Radiation Following Laser Resection in Early-Stage Glottic Cancer.

Objective: Guideline recommendations for the treatment of early-stage glottic cancer are limited to single-modality therapy with surgery or radiation alone. We sought to investigate the clinicopathologic and treatment factors associated with the use of postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) following laser excision for patients with T1-T2N0 glottic squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

Study Design: Retrospective observational study of the National Cancer Database.

Respiratory and pulmonary complications in head and neck cancer patients: Evidence-based review for the COVID-19 era.

Background: Pulmonary complications and infections frequently affect patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Common characteristics can predispose these patients to the development of severe respiratory illness, which may be particularly relevant during the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

Methods: A scoping review was performed to assess the impact of pulmonary comorbidities and adverse respiratory outcomes in HNSCC patients.

National treatment trends in human papillomavirus-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV)-mediated oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) is associated with dramatically improved survival in comparison with HPV-negative OPC and can be successfully treated with surgical and nonsurgical approaches. National treatment trends for OPC were investigated with the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB).

Methods: The NCDB was reviewed for primary HPV-mediated OPC in 2010-2014.

Margin Analysis in Head and Neck Cancer: State of the Art and Future Directions.

Background: The status of surgical margins is the most important prognosticator for patients undergoing surgical resection of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Despite this, analysis of surgical margins is fraught with inconsistencies, including the ways in which margins are sampled and interpreted. Fundamentally, even the definition what constitutes a "clear" (or negative) margin may vary between institutions, surgeons, and pathologists.

Myeloid sarcoma presenting as bilateral acute otitis externa in newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia.

Myeloid sarcoma (MS) is an extramedullary collection of immature myeloid cells that can commonly occur with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). While head and neck presentations are not unheard of, there have been few published pediatric cases of external auditory canal MS. Here, we report a case of a 14-year-old male who presented with MS masquerading as bilateral acute otitis externa.

Salvage laryngectomy following organ-preservation therapy - An evidence-based review.

Salvage total laryngectomy is often indicated in patients with recurrent or persistent laryngeal cancer after radiation or chemoradiation treatment. This article reviews and discusses key considerations regarding salvage laryngectomy. Within this article, a review of the salvage laryngectomy incidence in the major organ preservation trials, survival rates, predictors of outcomes, complication rates, and the roles of elective neck dissection and free tissue transfer for reconstruction in patients undergoing salvage laryngectomy is provided.

Expanding the Utilization of the Osteocutaneous Radial Forearm Free Flap beyond Mandibular Reconstruction.

Background The osteocutaneous radial forearm free flap (OCRFFF) for mandibular reconstruction has been well described. Despite this flap's utility in the repair of such defects, the indications for the OCRFFF have continued to expand in recent years. The advantages of the OCRFFF allow for a high degree of versatility in the reconstruction of the various anatomical and aesthetic units of the head and neck.

Revisiting the argument for 1- versus 2-vein outflow in head and neck free tissue transfers: A review of 317 microvascular reconstructions.

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the benefit of 1-vein versus 2-vein outflow in microvascular free tissue transfers.

Methods: A retrospective review reflects the experience of 6 surgeons. Analysis included all patients who underwent reconstruction at a single institution between January 2004 and December 2012.

Evaluation of bone length and number of osteotomies utilizing the osteocutaneous radial forearm free flap for mandible reconstruction: An 8-year review of complications and flap survival.

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of bone harvest length and multiple osteotomies on osteocutaneous radial forearm free flap (RFFF) complication rates.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted for patients undergoing osteocutaneous RFFF reconstruction during an 8-year period.

Results: One hundred fifty-five osteocutaneous RFFF procedures were performed.