Hürthle cell carcinoma: A malignancy of low-grade potential.

Background: Hürthle cell carcinoma of the thyroid is a variant of follicular carcinoma, which has been considered by many as a more aggressive disease than the usual well-differentiated carcinoma of the thyroid. Others, however, have found Hürthle cell carcinoma to be a low-grade malignancy with little morbidity or mortality.

Methods: This is a retrospective report on all patients with Hürthle cell carcinoma diagnosed during the years 1951-1997 by the authors.

The need to educate primary care physicians to provide oncologic services: a changing focus.

Background: The traditional role of primary care physicians (PCPs) in cancer care has been primarily cancer detection, and their training and education were similarly oriented. Propelled by the changing health care delivery system, this role is now expanding substantially.

Methods: A survey of 31 health maintenance organizations active in the New York market area was performed.

Effectiveness of radiotherapy with radical neck dissection in cancers of the head and neck.

A retrospective analysis of 457 radical neck dissections performed over a 30-year period for cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx was carried out. Two hundred thirteen patients underwent radiotherapy to the primary cancer site and/or to the neck. Of these, 164 underwent perioperative adjuvant radiotherapy and 24 underwent definitive radiation for cure and were followed up by salvage surgery.

Elective radical neck dissection in epidermoid cancer of the head and neck. A retrospective analysis of 853 cases of mouth, pharynx, and larynx cancer.

A retrospective analysis of 853 patients with cancer of the mouth, pharynx, and larynx operated on over a 30-year period was performed. Four hundred fifty-seven of them had a radical neck dissection (RND) at some point. Five hundred ninety patients had no clinically positive nodes (N-o) necks at the time of primary treatment; 99 of these had elective neck dissection, whereas 95 others had a delayed RND when nodes became clinically involved.

Modified radical neck dissection in cancer of the mouth, pharynx, and larynx.

A retrospective analysis of 390 determinate radical neck dissections (RND) performed for cancers of the mouth, pharynx, and larynx was carried out. There were 75 patients (19%) who had a modified RND. These were separately analyzed and the outcome was compared to those who had a standard total RND.