Comparison of surgical margins and adjuvant therapy for head and neck cancer by hospital type.

Background: Differences in patient populations and outcomes by hospital type are becoming increasingly relevant as health care systems shift to value-based care models. There is a paucity of literature on patient-level and hospital-level differences for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The objective of this study was to examine differences in patient characteristics, surgical margins, and adjuvant therapy patterns for surgically treated HNSCC across different hospital types.

Plasma Circulating HPV DNA Surveillance in a Patient With Nasopharyngeal Cancer.

Nearly one third of nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPCs) in the United States are associated with human papillomavirus (HPV). Surveillance for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-negative subtypes is customarily based solely on imaging and physical examinations. We present a case of HPV-positive NPC using serial circulating tumor HPV DNA (ctHPVDNA) as a biomarker of disease status.

Post-surgical readmission risk factors in otolaryngology/head and neck surgery.

Background: Otolaryngology patients are a high-readmission-risk group due to the complexity of surgeries, significant alterations to speech and swallowing functions, and high postoperative complications risk.

Methods: A retrospective review was performed on patients who underwent otolaryngologic surgery at a single-academic-institution between March 2019 and February 2020.

Results: Among 365 discharges, 21 patients had unplanned readmissions within 30 days.

Effect of distance of treatment center on survival for HPV-negative head and neck cancer patients.

Background: In rural states, travel burden for complex cancer care required for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) may affect patient survival, but its impact is unknown.

Methods: Patients with HPV-negative HNSCC were retrospectively identified from a statewide, population-based study. Euclidian distance from the home address to the treatment center was calculated for radiation therapy, surgery, and chemotherapy.

Poor oral health influences head and neck cancer patient survival: an International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Consortium pooled analysis.

Background: Poor oral health has been identified as a prognostic factor potentially affecting the survival of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. However, evidence to date supporting this association has emanated from studies based on single cohorts with small-to-modest sample sizes.

Methods: Pooled analysis of 2449 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma participants from 4 studies of the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Consortium included data on periodontal disease, tooth brushing frequency, mouthwash use, numbers of natural teeth, and dental visits over the 10 years prior to diagnosis.

Time to treatment patterns of head and neck cancer patients before and during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Objectives: The delivery of healthcare has changed significantly over the past decades. This study analyzes the clinicodemographic factors and treatment patterns of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients between 2004 and 2020.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective cohort analysis of HNSCC patients from the National Cancer Data Base from 2004 to 2020.

Genetically engineered mouse models of head and neck cancers.

The head and neck region is one of the anatomic sites commonly afflicted by cancer, with ~1.5 million new diagnoses reported worldwide in 2020 alone. Remarkable progress has been made in understanding the underlying disease mechanisms, personalizing care based on each tumor's individual molecular characteristics, and even therapeutically exploiting the inherent vulnerabilities of these neoplasms.

Circulating tumor HPV DNA as an alternative method to determine HPV status in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) testing is mandatory for all newly diagnosed oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) due to its importance for prognostication and aiding in treatment decision making. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) is a widely used and accepted diagnostic tool for OPSCC. Although FNA can accurately determine histological diagnosis, results are often indeterminate or lack insufficient samples for HPV testing.

Tumor Cell Extrinsic Synaptogyrin 3 Expression as a Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarker in Head and Neck Cancer.

Over 70% of oropharyngeal head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC) cases in the United States are positive for human papillomavirus (HPV) yet biomarkers for stratifying oropharyngeal head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC) patient risk are limited. We used immunogenomics to identify differentially expressed genes in immune cells of HPV(+) and HPV(-) squamous carcinomas. Candidate genes were tested in clinical specimens using both quantitative RT-PCR and IHC and validated by IHC using the Carolina Head and Neck Cancer Study (CHANCE) tissue microarray of HNSC cases.

The addition of chemotherapy to adjuvant radiation is associated with inferior survival outcomes in intermediate-risk HPV-negative HNSCC.

Background: Only high-risk tumors with extranodal extension (ENE) and/or positive surgical margins (PSM) benefit from adjuvant therapy (AT) with concurrent chemoradiation (CRT) compared to radiation therapy (RT) in locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Optimal treatment for intermediate-risk tumors remains controversial. We categorized patients based on their surgical pathologic risk factors and described AT treatment patterns and associated survival outcomes.

Synergistic efficacy of combined EGFR and HDAC inhibitors overcomes tolerance to EGFR monotherapy in salivary mucoepidermoid carcinoma.

Objectives: Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) is the most common type of salivary gland malignancy. Advanced or high-grade MECs are refractory to chemotherapy, often leading to tumor recurrence/metastasis and abysmal ~35% 5-year survival. Causal links have been established between Epithelial Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) activation and poor outcome.

Impact of Tumor Site and Adjuvant Radiotherapy on Survival of Patients with Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma: A SEER Database Analysis.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare salivary gland tumor, displaying aggressive behavior with frequent recurrence and metastasis. Little information exists regarding the impact of clinicopathological parameters and adjuvant radiotherapy (aRT) on ACC disease specific (DSS) and overall survival (OS). We extracted demographic, treatment, and survival information of 1439 patients with major or minor intraoral salivary gland ACC from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database.

Salivary gland cancer in the era of immunotherapy: can we exploit tumor microenvironment?

Introduction: Salivary gland cancers (SGCs) consist of a rare family of neoplasms with varying histology and biological behavior. Therapeutic regimens have been relatively unchanged for decades. The recent successes of immunotherapy have raised hopes for the development of more effective strategies in SGC, thus emphasizing the role of tumor microenvironment (TME) in the design for more effective therapies.

Access to preventive care services and stage at diagnosis in head and neck cancer.

Background: Decreased access to preventive care services has been proposed as a mechanism for the association between low socioeconomic status (SES) and advanced stage at diagnosis in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

Methods: Retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed with HNSCC in North Carolina between 2002 and 2006.

Results: A total of 1108 patients with HNSCC were included in the study.

Pure Orbital Trapdoor Fractures in Adults: Tight Entrapment of Perimuscular Tissue Mimicking True Muscle Incarceration with Successful Results from Early Intervention.

Orbital trapdoor fractures (OTFs) entail entrapment of intraorbital soft tissues with minimal or no displacement of the affected bones and are almost exclusively seen in children. This article aimed to report the diagnosis and treatment of an OTF of the floor in an adult patient and to critically review the literature regarding the management aspects of this specific subset of orbital blowout fractures in adults. A 29-year-old man presented with limitations of vertical right eye movements owing to blunt orbital trauma.

Adaptive Transcriptional Responses by CRTC Coactivators in Cancer.

Adaptive stress signaling networks directly influence tumor development and progression. These pathways mediate responses that allow cancer cells to cope with both tumor cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic insults and develop acquired resistance to therapeutic interventions. This is mediated in part by constant oncogenic rewiring at the transcriptional level by integration of extracellular cues that promote cell survival and malignant transformation.

Polymorphous adenocarcinoma: an overview of immunohistochemical features and insights on molecular pathology.

Polymorphous adenocarcinoma (PAC), represents a common minor salivary gland tumor (SGT) characterized by local growth, low metastatic potential and non-aggressive biologic behavior. Due to the clinical aggressiveness noted in a subset of such tumors, the former term polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma (PLGA) was recently revised. PAC's clinical features and histological diversity result in clinical overlap of this entity with several other SGTs including mainly adenoid cystic carcinoma (AdCC).

Neovascularization: an attractive but tricky target in thyroid cancer.

Neovascularization in carcinogenesis and tumor progression is well-established. Molecular mediators implicated in different modes of vascular remodeling and expansion (e.g.

The Role of Adipokines in the Establishment and Progression of Head and Neck Neoplasms.

Adipokines constitute a family of protein factors secreted by white adipose tissue (WAT), that regulate the functions of WAT and other sites. Leptin, adiponectin and resistin, are the main adipokines present in serum and saliva, targeting several tissues and organs, including vessels, muscles, liver and pancreas. Besides body mass regulation, adipokines affect glucose homeostasis, inflammation, angiogenesis, cell proliferation and apoptosis, and other crucial cell procedures.