Publications by authors named "M Balk"

In this study, long-term survivors of head and neck cancer (HNC) were evaluated regarding their symptom burden and quality of life (QoL). This prospective study was performed during the regular follow-up consultations at one of Germany's largest tertiary referral centers for HNC. The assessment included demographic, clinical, and oncological data, as well as the MIDOS(2) and the University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire (UW QoL) questionnaires.

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Background: We aimed to validate the prognostic significance of tumor budding (TB) in p16-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCC).

Methods: We analyzed digitized H&E-stained slides from a multicenter cohort of five large university centers consisting of n = 275 cases of p16-positive OPSCC. We evaluated TB along with other histological parameters (morphology, tumor-stroma-ratio, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), perineural invasion) and calculated survival outcomes using both univariate and multivariate analyses.

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Article Synopsis
  • * The tumor, identified as a "calcified chondroid mesenchymal neoplasm" (CCMN) through molecular analysis, was surgically removed, showing extensive changes indicative of its aggressive nature.
  • * Follow-up imaging for over two years showed no residual tumor, but ongoing monitoring is crucial due to potential local recurrences; targeted therapies may be considered for any future recurrences involving the FGFR2 fusion.
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Purpose: To evaluate postoperative pain and discomfort after parotid surgery with regard to different surgical approaches.

Methods: This clinical study was carried out at a single tertiary referral center (2021-2022) and included 2 groups of adult patients (mean age 56.6 ± 12.

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The approval and effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors in head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) highlights the role of the immune system in this tumor entity. HNSCCs not only interacts with the immune system in the tumor tissue, but also induce systemic effects that may be additionally influenced by further factors such as the microbiome. Nonetheless, reliable immunological biomarkers that predict treatment response and outcome in HNSCC patients are lacking.

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