Impact of use of frozen section assessment of operative margins on survival in oral cancer.

Objective: This study looked at the independent impact of intraoperative frozen section assessment of the adequacy of margins of excision on disease control and survival.

Study Design: The design was a review of outcome of historical cohort of 416 surgically treated oral cancer patients at a comprehensive cancer center. Status of the margins at permanent sections, disease failure at the primary site, and survival data of 229 patients who had frozen sections were compared by univariate and multivariate analysis with 197 patients who did not have frozen sections.

Sternocleidomastoid muscle interposition to prevent carotid artery blowout.

Carotid blow-out syndrome is the most dreaded complication in head and neck surgical oncology practice This article describes a simple technique of interposition of sternocleidomastoid muscle between pharynx and carotid sheath to isolate the latter from salivary contamination in the event of salivary leak. Authors have used this technique in 83 laryngectomies with excellent results.

Sodium thiosulphate impairs the cytotoxic effects of cisplatin on FADU cells in culture.

Objectives: To study the effect of cisplatin (CDDP) on FADU human squamous cell carcinoma cells and to determine if sodium thiosulphate (STS), an agent protective against CDDP ototoxicity, affects the tumoricidal activity of CDDP.

Method: FADU tumour cells were grown in culture. Cells were exposed to varying concentrations of CDDP with and without concomitant STS, and 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays were then performed to determine the effect of treatment on FADU cell growth.

Effect of sodium thiosulphate and cis-diamminedichloroplatinum on FADU tumour cells in nude mice.

Objectives: To study the effect of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (CDDP) on FADU squamous cell carcinoma cells in a nude mouse model and to determine the effect of sodium thiosulphate (STS) on CDDP activity.

Methods: CD1 nude mice were inoculated with FADU tumour cells to both flanks. They were then randomized to four treatment groups: control, CDDP only, STS only, or CDDP and STS.