Fine Needle Aspirate Flow Cytometry's Ancillary Utility in Diagnosing Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in the Head and Neck.

Background: While ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cell block (FNACB) is a cost-effective, expeditious, and reliable procedure used routinely in the initial evaluation of head and neck masses, it has limited efficacy in diagnosing lymphoproliferative disorders such as non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Flow cytometry performed on an fine-needle aspiration (FNA) sample [ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspirate flow cytometry or flow cytometry performed on an FNA sample (FNAFC)], has been shown to be a valuable adjunct to FNACB in the diagnosis of lymphoproliferative disorders of the spleen, kidney, and thyroid. The objective of this study was to appraise FNAFC's utility as an ancillary tool to detect NHL arising in the head and neck region in adult patients.

Molecular Markers in Follicular and Oncocytic Thyroid Carcinomas: Clinical Application of Molecular Genetic Testing.

Background: Oncocytic thyroid carcinoma (OTC) was previously considered a variant of follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) but has recently been reclassified as a separate form of thyroid cancer. This study aimed to demonstrate that FTC and OTC are fundamentally distinct entities that can potentially be differentiated preoperatively through cytology and/or molecular testing.

Methods: A retrospective chart review of patients diagnosed with FTC and OTC operated upon at two university health centers from January 2016 to September 2023 (n = 3219) was conducted.

Neoadjuvant Capecitabine in Operable HPV-Negative Head and Neck Cancer: Fortuitous Findings in a Resource Constrained Setting.

Objective: Limited progress has occurred in treating operable human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Accessing timely care remains challenging in public health care systems, potentially resulting in disease progression before treatment initiation.

Study Design: A prospective cohort of patients receiving neoadjuvant capecitabine (NC) was compared to stage-matched patients undergoing standard of care (SC).

Predicting short-term treatment toxicity in head and neck cancer through a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Frailty is a recognized condition associated with poorer outcomes in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). The objective of this study was to ascertain the prognostic significance of various frailty metrics on short-term treatment toxicity in patients with HNC undergoing curative-intent therapy.

Materials And Methods: A systematic review was performed searching multiple databases.

A Descriptive Study of Quality of Life Following Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Transoral Robotic Surgery for Human Papillomavirus-Associated Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Background: Patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) treated with radiation-based therapy suffer from short- and long-term toxicities that affect quality of life (QOL). Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) has an established role in the management of early OPSCC but adjuvant treatment is often indicated postoperatively due to the high incidence of nodal metastasis associated with advanced human papillomavirus (HPV)-related OPSCC. To overcome the need for adjuvant radiation therapy (RT), neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by TORS and neck dissection (ND) is proposed.

Genetic Risk For Depression and Quality of Life in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer.

Importance: Although patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) have been shown to experience high distress, few longitudinal studies include a comprehensive evaluation of biopsychosocial factors affecting quality of life (QoL), including genetic risk for depression.

Objective: To identify factors at the time of cancer diagnosis associated with QoL scores at 3 months after treatment in patients newly diagnosed with a first occurrence of HNC.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This prospective longitudinal study of 1464 participants with a 3-month follow-up, including structured clinical interviews and self-administered measures was carried out at the Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery at 2 tertiary care McGill University Affiliated Hospitals, McGill University Health Centre, and Jewish General Hospital.

Loss of Independence in Older Adults With Operable Oral Cavity Cancer: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective: To ascertain the effect of curative-intent surgery on loss of independence (LOI) in patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC).

Study Design: Retrospective observational study of patients diagnosed from 2014 to 2021.

Setting: Single tertiary care academic center.

Rethinking treatment paradigms: Neoadjuvant therapy and de-escalation strategies in HPV-positive head and neck cancer.

Head and neck cancer (HNC) is the 6th most common cancer across the world, with a particular increase in HNC associated with human papilloma virus (HPV) among younger populations. Historically, the standard treatment for this disease consisted of combined surgery and radiotherapy or curative platinum-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy, with associated long term and late toxicities. However, HPV-positive HNC is recognized as a unique cancer subtype, typically with improved clinical outcomes.

Quality of Life After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Transoral Robotic Surgery for Oropharynx Cancer.

Importance: Efforts are underway to deintensified treatment protocols for patients with human papillomavirus virus-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPV-OPSCC) to achieve similar excellent oncologic outcomes while reducing treatment-related adverse effects. Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) as primary treatment often requires adjuvant therapy due to the high incidence of nodal metastasis. Treatment with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by TORS and neck dissection (NECTORS), reserving radiation therapy for salvage, yields excellent oncologic outcomes.

Long-read sequencing of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma tumors reveal diverse patterns of high-risk Human Papillomavirus integration.

Introduction: In North America and in most European countries, Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for over 70% of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas. The burden of OPSCC, in high-income countries, has been steadily increasing over the past 20 years. As a result, in the USA and in the UK, the burden of HPV-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma in men has now surpassed that of cervical cancer in women.

Prioritization of head and neck cancer patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic placed considerable strain on the healthcare system, leading to the re-allocation of resources and implementation of new practice guidelines. The objective of this study is to assess the impact of COVID-19 guideline modifications on head and neck cancer (HNC) care at two tertiary care centers in Canada.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted.

Development and validation of the modified index of fragility in head and neck cancer surgery.

Background: This study aims to develop and validate, a clinically useful modified index of fragility (mIFG) to identify patients at risk of fragility and to predict postoperative adverse events.

Method: An observational study was performed using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database, from 2006 to 2018. All patients undergoing nonemergency head and neck cancer surgery were included.

Response to Neoadjuvant Targeted Therapy in Operable Head and Neck Cancer Confers Survival Benefit.

Purpose: Neoadjuvant targeted therapy provides a brief, preoperative window of opportunity that can be exploited to individualize cancer care based on treatment response. We investigated whether response to neoadjuvant therapy during the preoperative window confers survival benefit in patients with operable head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

Patients And Methods: A pooled analysis of treatment-naïve patients with operable HNSCC enrolled in one of three clinical trials from 2009 to 2020 (NCT00779389, NCT01218048, NCT02473731).

Dealing with the Vicissitudes and Abject Consequences of Head and Neck Cancer: A Vital Role for Psycho-Oncology.

Patients with head and neck cancer face important life-altering effects in appearance and function, affecting distress and quality of life and requiring the involvement of a multidisciplinary team. Psycho-oncology makes an important contribution to the field, as head and neck cancers carry a huge adaptational toll. To illustrate the value of this discipline, we report two cases of patients with advanced head and neck cancer for which the treatment-related body changes were of major significance.

Biopsychosocial Markers of Body Image Concerns in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer: A Prospective Longitudinal Study.

(1) Background: Patients and survivors of head and neck cancer (HNC) are at a high risk of developing body image concerns. Despite the prevalence of body image concerns in patients with HNC, there is a lack of longitudinal research exploring the wide array of its associated determinants. The current longitudinal study examined the determinants and longitudinal course of body image dissatisfaction in patients with HNC.

Application of the Milan system for reporting salivary gland cytopathology using cell blocks.

The Milan system for reporting salivary gland cytopathology (MSRSGC) is a novel standardized classification tool for salivary gland cytology specimens based on the use of direct smears. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) cell blocks facilitate the use of ancillary studies, leading to improved diagnostic accuracy. However, the application of the MSRSGC with only cell blocks has not been well established.