Association between Tumor Microbiome and Hypoxia across Anatomic Subsites of Head and Neck Cancers.

Purpose/Objective(s): Microbiome has been shown to affect tumorigenesis by promoting inflammation. However, the association between the upper aerodigestive microbiome and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is not well established. Hypoxia is a modifiable factor associated with poor radiation response.

Metformin increases natural killer cell functions in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma through CXCL1 inhibition.

Background: Metformin slows tumor growth and progression in vitro, and in combination with chemoradiotherapy, resulted in high overall survival in patients with head and neck cancer squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) in our phase 1 clinical trial (NCT02325401). Metformin is also postulated to activate an antitumor immune response. Here, we investigate immunologic effects of metformin on natural killer (NK) and natural killer T cells, including results from two phase I open-label studies in patients with HNSCC treated with metformin (NCT02325401, NCT02083692).

Update of a prognostic survival model in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors using an expansion cohort.

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) treatment in recurrent/metastatic (R/M) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) offers new therapeutic venues. We have previously developed a predictive survival model in this patient population based on clinical parameters, and the purpose of this study was to expand the study cohort and internally validate the model.

Methods: A single institutional retrospective analysis of R/M HNSCC patients treated with ICI.

Current Therapy for Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer: Evidence, Opportunities, and Challenges.

Management of metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is evolving as new systemic therapies have led to improvements in survival, and as advances in locoregional therapy and the increased numbers of patients with HPV-associated cancers who develop oligometastases raise the possibility of ablation of limited numbers of metastases. We review the data regarding first-line immunotherapy in PD-L1-expressing metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, the experience with aggressive local management of oligometastases, and promising novel immunotherapies, targeted therapies, and HPV-specific treatments. For patients with metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma that is PD-L1 expressing, first-line systemic therapy is pembrolizumab or pembrolizumab with chemotherapy.

COVID-19 vaccination and breakthrough infections in patients with cancer.

Background: Vaccination is an important preventive health measure to protect against symptomatic and severe COVID-19. Impaired immunity secondary to an underlying malignancy or recent receipt of antineoplastic systemic therapies can result in less robust antibody titers following vaccination and possible risk of breakthrough infection. As clinical trials evaluating COVID-19 vaccines largely excluded patients with a history of cancer and those on active immunosuppression (including chemotherapy), limited evidence is available to inform the clinical efficacy of COVID-19 vaccination across the spectrum of patients with cancer.

Multi-Institutional Study Validates Safety of Intraoperative Cesium-131 Brachytherapy for Treatment of Recurrent Head and Neck Cancer.

Introduction: Surgery is the primary treatment for resectable, non-metastatic recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We explore the safety and oncologic benefit of intraoperative Cesium-131 (Cs-131) brachytherapy combined with salvage local and/or regional surgical resection.

Methods And Materials: Findings were reported from a single arm multi-institutional prospective phase 1/2 trial involving surgery plus Cs-131 (surgery + Cs-131) treatment.

Weekly vs. 3-weekly paclitaxel, carboplatin, and cetuximab (PCC) in recurrent/metastatic head and neck cancer.

The combination of paclitaxel, carboplatin and cetuximab (PCC) is efficacious in patients with recurrent/metastatic (R/M) squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). The current study assessed the incidence of grade 3/4 (G3/4) toxicity for patients receiving weekly or 3-weekly PCC for R/M SCCHN. The present single-institution, retrospective analysis included 74 patients who received weekly [paclitaxel 45 mg/m and carboplatin area under the curve (AUC), 1.

Treatment Outcomes of Head and Neck Cancer Patients in the Elderly Receiving Different Chemoradiation Combinations: A Single-Center Experience.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the effect of definitive or adjuvant concurrent chemoradiation (CRT) among elderly patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LA HNSCC).

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 150 elderly LA HNSCC patients (age ≥70) at a single institution. Demographics, disease control outcomes, and toxicities with different chemotherapy regimens were reviewed.

Managing Recurrent Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) treatment is often associated with high morbidity especially in the recurrent and/or metastatic (R/M) setting, limiting effective treatment options. Local disease control is important. Therefore, local therapies including reirradiation and salvage surgery, either alone or in combination with systemic treatment, may be used for selected patients with R/M HNSCC.

Identification of Clinical and Socioeconomic Predictors of Adjuvant Therapy after Trans-Oral Robotic Surgery in Patients with Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Trans-oral robotic surgery (TORS) has emerged as an important surgical treatment option in the management of human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive and -negative oropharynx cancer. However, treatment selection is paramount to ensure that patients will not require multimodality adjuvant therapy. In this study, we determined predictors of adjuvant therapy in TORS-treated patients.

A predictive survival model for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated with immune check point inhibitors.

Background: ICIs have expanded treatment options for HNSCC. A minority of the patients respond to these expensive treatments.

Patients And Methods: This is a single institutional retrospective review on 121 unresectable or metastatic HNSCC patients treated with ICIs.

Corrigendum to "Nivolumab and Ipilimumab in the Treatment of Metastatic Uveal Melanoma: A Single-Center Experience".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2019/3560640.].

A review of optimal prostate biopsy: indications and techniques.

Prostate biopsy is the gold standard diagnostic technique for the detection of prostate cancer. Patient selection for prostate biopsy is complex and is influenced by emerging use of prebiopsy imaging. The introduction of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) fusion prostate biopsy has clear advantages over the historical standard of care.

Role of Positron Emission Tomography Imaging in Metabolically Active Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Purpose Of Review: The clinical role of fluorine-18 fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is still evolving. Use of FDG PET in RCC is currently not a standard investigation in the diagnosis and staging of RCC due to its renal excretion. This review focuses on the clinical role and current status of FDG PET and PET/CT in RCC.

Nivolumab and Ipilimumab in the Treatment of Metastatic Uveal Melanoma: A Single-Center Experience.

Background: Metastatic uveal melanoma (MUM) is associated with a poor prognosis, with a median overall survival (OS) of 4-15 months. Despite new insights into the genetic and molecular background of MUM, satisfactory systemic treatment approaches are currently lacking. The study results of innovative treatment strategies are urgently needed.

Salvage treatment for radio-recurrent prostate cancer: a review of literature with focus on recent advancements in image-guided focal salvage therapies.

Biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer occurs in 25-33% of patients who undergo radiation therapy (RT). Unfortunately, greater than 90% of patients with radiation recurrence undergo androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), despite the detrimental side effect profile and the lack of supporting evidence for ADT use in local recurrence. In patients who experience recurrence after treatment with RT, options for treatment include salvage radical prostatectomy (SRP), salvage cryotherapy (SCT), salvage brachytherapy (SBT), and high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU).

High-risk pathological features at the time of salvage surgery predict poor survival after definitive therapy in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

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.

Systemic therapy for brain metastases.

Central nervous system metastases cause grave morbidity in patients with advanced malignancies. Lung cancer, breast cancer, and melanoma are the three most common causes of brain metastases. Although the exact incidence of brain metastases is unclear, there appears to be an increasing incidence which has been attributed to longer survival, better control of systemic disease, and better imaging modalities.

Longitudinal experience with WHO Grade III (anaplastic) meningiomas at a single institution.

To retrospectively analyze and assess the outcomes and prognostic factors in patients with anaplastic meningioma (AM) (WHO Grade III). Clinical data and outcome [overall (OS) and progression-free (PFS) survival] from 18 patients with Grade III meningioma (AM, based on World Health Organization 2016 definition) initially treated between March 2000 and June 2015 were analyzed. Eleven patients (61%) were male, median age at diagnosis was 63 (range 48-86), and 55% (10/18 patients) had good performance status (KPS ≥ 80).

A case of typhoid Fever with hepatic granulomas and enteritis.

The common histopathologic hepatic manifestations in patients infected with Salmonella include cloudy swelling and balloon degeneration with vacuolation of the hepatocytes and steatosis. Hepatic granulomas are a very rare finding, so far reported in very few cases. We report a 64-year-old patient with Salmonella enteritis who was found to have multiple 1.