Frequency of use and cost in Japan of first-line palliative chemotherapies for recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Background: Over the last decade, novel anticancer drugs have improved the prognosis for recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (RM-SCCHN). However, this has increased healthcare expenditures and placed a heavy burden on patients and society. This study investigated the frequency of use and costs of select palliative chemotherapy regimens in Japan.

Potential of Nutritional Markers as Predictors After Immunotherapy in Advanced Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Background/aim: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are the standard treatment for advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) is clinically assessed before initiating ICIs; however, there are no established biomarkers for predicting the response to immunotherapy. In this study, inflammatory and nutritional parameters were examined to determine the therapeutic outcomes of ICIs for HNSCC.

Extent of thyroidectomy and paratracheal lymph node dissection in total pharyngolaryngectomy for pyriform sinus cancer, and recurrence, survival, and postoperative hypoparathyroidism: A multicenter retrospective study.

Background: Total pharyngolaryngectomy (TPL) is standard treatment for hypopharyngeal cancer. However, extensive thyroidectomy and paratracheal nodal dissection (PTND) can cause hypoparathyroidism. We sought to determine the optimum extent of resection.

Biomarker discovery for practice of precision medicine in hypopharyngeal cancer: a theranostic study on response prediction of the key therapeutic agents.

Background: Hypopharyngeal cancer is a relatively rare malignancy with poor prognosis. Current chemotherapeutic algorithm is still far from personalized medicine, and the identification of the truly active therapeutic biomarkers and/or targets is eagerly awaited.

Methods: Venturing to focus on the conventional key chemotherapeutic drugs, we identified the most correlative genes (and/or proteins) with cellular sensitivity to docetaxel (TXT), cisplatin (CDDP) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in the expression levels, through 3 steps approach: genome-wide screening, confirmation study on the quantified expression levels, and knock-down and transfection analyses of the candidates.

Predicting the radiosensitivity of HPV-negative oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma using miR-130b.

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma shows a higher rate of radiation resistance than HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). Radioresistant HPV-negative OPSCC is associated with unfavourable outcomes, but validated prognostic biomarkers remain lacking.

Aims/objectives: This study investigated biomarkers for radioresistant HPV-negative OPSCC.

Results of definitive radiotherapy with concurrent chemotherapy for maxillary sinus carcinomas with neck lymph node metastasis.

The purpose of this study was to describe the results of definitive radiotherapy (RT) with concurrent chemotherapy for maxillary sinus carcinomas (MSCs) with neck lymph node metastasis to clarify its limitation. Local control (LC), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and were compared between subgroups using the log rank test. Toxicity was classified using common terminology criteria of adverse events version 5.

Acquired Hemophilia A Presenting as Massive Postoperative Bleeding in a Patient with Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Acquired hemophilia A (AHA) is an extremely rare and serious bleeding disorder caused by autoantibodies against coagulation factor VIII (FVIII). Approximately, 10% of patients with AHA have an underlying malignancy. We report on a 46-year-old man with AHA and advanced oral cancer who presented with massive bleeding after surgery.

Nivolumab-related tracheobronchial chondritis: Extremely rare manifestation of an immune-related adverse effect.

Background: Programmed death-1 checkpoint inhibitors, such as nivolumab, have successfully been utilized for recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck; however, their use may be associated with immune-related adverse effects (irAEs).

Methods: We describe a case of tracheobronchial chondritis as a rare irAE in a 72-year-old man with multiple pulmonary metastases of hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma treated with nivolumab, who was seen with a 2-week history of fever, nonproductive cough, and dyspnea.

Results: CT revealed a thickened tracheobronchial wall and narrowed intraluminal space resulting in respiratory symptoms, despite significant clinical response of the metastases.

Podoplanin is an efficient predictor of neck lymph node metastasis in tongue squamous cell carcinoma with low tumor budding grade.

The current study investigated the efficacy of podoplanin expression in tumor budding cells as a predictor of neck lymph node metastasis (NLM) in patients with tongue squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of low tumor budding grade (TBG). A total of 99 patients with early T-stage tongue SCC of any clinical N status who received the initial curative treatment were enrolled. The association between podoplanin expression and NLM was immunohistochemically analyzed, with a focus on tongue SCC with low TBG.

Importance of tumor budding grade as independent prognostic factor for early tongue squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Factors involved in neck lymph node metastasis (NLM) and prognosis of early tongue squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) remain unknown.

Methods: We analyzed disease-specific survival (DSS) and NLM including tumor budding grade (TBG) among 64 patients with cT1/2N0 tongue SCC.

Results: Univariate analysis of DSS of primary lesions uncovered significant differences in new cT, pT, new pT, pDiameter, venous infiltration, and TBG.

Prognostic role of epiregulin/amphiregulin expression in recurrent/metastatic head and neck cancer treated with cetuximab.

Background: Cetuximab combined with chemoradiotherapy chemotherapy is the standard therapy for recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, survival benefit is limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of epiregulin (EREG) and amphiregulin (AREG), as predictive prognostic markers for the efficacy of cetuximab combined with chemotherapy in R/M HNSCC.

Correlation of Inflammatory Markers, Survival, and COX2 Expression in Oral Cancer and Implications for Prognosis.

Objective Peripheral blood-derived inflammation-based scores, such as the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and the combination of platelet count and NLR, have recently been proposed as prognostic markers in solid tumors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of inflammatory markers as predictive prognostic factors for locally advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). In addition, we evaluated the potential correlation between systemic inflammation and local expression of COX2.

Primary Small Cell Carcinoma of the Hypopharynx: A Report of Two Cases and Review of Nine Additional Cases.

Objective: Two patients with primary small cell carcinoma (SmCC) of the hypopharynx, an extremely rare site for the occurrence of SmCC, are reported and nine additional well-documented cases are reviewed.

Methods: Case report and review of the literature concerning primary SmCC of the hypopharynx.

Results: On the final analysis, we reviewed eleven cases of primary SmCC of the hypopharynx.

Human papillomavirus and p16 protein expression as prognostic biomarkers in mobile tongue cancer.

Objectives: The objectives were to determine the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in mobile tongue cancer (MTC) and evaluate associations and survival.

Materials And Methods: Patients who underwent surgical resection as primary treatment for MTC (n = 127) were retrospectively evaluated. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimens were assessed for p16 and p53 by immunohistochemistry; for HPV DNA by nested multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using two pairs of consensus primers (MY09-MY11 and GP5+-GP6+); and for E6 and E7 oncogenes from 13 high-risk HPV types (16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 52, 56, 58, 59, 66, and 68) by real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR).

Functional Roles of Netrin-1 in Osteoblast Differentiation.

Aim: Recent studies have demonstrated that netrin-1 plays a vital role in bone metabolism. Previous studies have shown that osteoblasts produce netrin-1 which affects osteoclast differentiation. However, the role of netrin-1 in osteoblast differentiation is not well understood.

PD-L1 Expression Confers Better Prognosis in Locally Advanced Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Background/aim: Clinical trials with therapies targeting immune checkpoint molecules have shown promising results in several tumor types. However, the predictive and prognostic values of these immunological factors for locally advanced oral squamous cell carcinomas (LAOSCC) remain unclear. Our purpose was to evaluate the expression and prognostic value of programmed cell death-ligand1 (PD-L1) and PD-L2 and to correlate their expression with the degree of infiltration by CD8 cells in LAOSCC.