Association of oropharyngeal cancer recurrence with tumor-intrinsic and immune-mediated sequelae of reduced genomic instability.

Background: Limited understanding of the biology predisposing certain human papillomavirus-related (HPV+) oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCCs) to relapse impedes therapeutic personalization. We aimed to identify molecular traits that distinguish recurrence-prone tumors.

Methods: 50 HPV+ OPSCCs that later recurred (cases) and 50 non-recurrent controls matched for stage, therapy, and smoking history were RNA-sequenced.

Free Flap Reconstruction of the Oropharynx.

Reconstruction of the oropharynx plays a critical role in preserving quality of life after surgical resection of oropharyngeal carcinoma. Free tissue is one of several reconstructive options, which can closely approximate native oropharyngeal anatomy and lead to favorable functional outcomes in carefully selected patients. Here, the authors provide an overview of the indications, treatment options, functional outcomes, potential complications, and future considerations for free flap reconstruction of the oropharynx.

Thyroid Malignancies With Thymic Differentiation: Outcomes of Rare SETTLE and CASTLE Tumors.

Background: Spindle epithelial tumors with thymus-like differentiation (SETTLE) and carcinomas showing thymus-like differentiation (CASTLE) are rare intrathyroid tumors.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients diagnosed with SETTLE, CASTLE, and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) from 2004 to 2020 within the National Cancer Database (NCDB). Demographic, tumor, and treatment characteristics were compared.

Missed Adjuvant Therapy in Human Papillomavirus Positive Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Objective: Investigate missed adjuvant therapy and associated disparities in overall survival (OS) for human papillomavirus-associated (HPV+) oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC).

Methods: The 2010-2017 National Cancer Database was queried for patients with surgically resected HPV+ OPSCC. Indications for adjuvant radiotherapy (aRT) included pT3-4 classification, pN2-3 classification, lymphovascular invasion, pathologic extranodal extension (pENE), and/or positive surgical margins (PSM).

Choice of Adjuvant Radiotherapy Facility in Sinonasal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Objective: Undergoing surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy (aRT) at the same facility has been associated with higher overall survival (OS) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Our study investigates whether undergoing surgery and aRT at the same academic facility is associated with higher OS compared with separate facilities in sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma (SNSCC).

Methods: The 2006 to 2017 National Cancer Database was queried for patients with SNSCC undergoing surgery at an academic facility followed by aRT with or without adjuvant chemotherapy.

Impact of Facility Volume on Overall Survival in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer Undergoing Palliative Treatment.

Background: Treatment at high-volume facilities (HVF) has been associated with improved prognosis of HNC patients undergoing curative treatment. Whether this systemic factor influences survival outcomes of patients with HNC undergoing palliative treatment is unknown.

Aim: To investigate the impact of palliative treatment facility volume on overall survival (OS) in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC).

Risk Factors for Plate Infection, Exposure, and Removal in Mandibular Reconstruction.

Objective: Mandibular plate reconstruction (MPR) is often indicated after tumor ablation, osteoradionecrosis excision, and traumatic bone loss to restore oral functionality and facial cosmetics. There are limited analyses identifying risk factors that lead to plate infection (PIn), exposure, and removal ("plate complications").

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

GLUT1 inhibitor BAY-876 induces apoptosis and enhances anti-cancer effects of bitter receptor agonists in head and neck squamous carcinoma cells.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are cancers that arise in the mucosa of the upper aerodigestive tract. The five-year patient survival rate is ~50%. Treatment includes surgery, radiation, and/or chemotherapy and is associated with lasting effects even when successful in irradicating the disease.

Transcriptomic analysis-guided assessment of precision-cut tumor slices (PCTS) as an ex-vivo tool in cancer research.

With cancer immunotherapy and precision medicine dynamically evolving, there is greater need for pre-clinical models that can better replicate the intact tumor and its complex tumor microenvironment (TME). Precision-cut tumor slices (PCTS) have recently emerged as an ex vivo human tumor model, offering the opportunity to study individual patient responses to targeted therapies, including immunotherapies. However, little is known about the physiologic status of PCTS and how culture conditions alter gene expression.

Elective Neck Dissection in cT1-4 N0M0 Head and Neck Basaloid Carcinoma.

Objective: To investigate the survival benefit of elective neck dissection (END) over neck observation in surgically resected cT1-4 N0M0 head and neck basaloid carcinoma (HNBC).

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: The 2006 to 2017 hospital-based National Cancer Database.

Transoral robotic surgery with free flap reconstruction: Functional outcomes of 241 patients at a single institution.

Background: Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) for oropharyngeal malignancy optimizes oncologic outcomes while preserving functionality. This study identifies patterns of functional recovery after TORS with free flap reconstruction (FFR).

Methods: Retrospective cohort study at a tertiary care center of patients with primary oropharyngeal tumors treated with TORS with FFR between 2010 and 2022.

Preoperative Circulating Tumor HPV DNA and Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Disease.

Importance: The utility of preoperative circulating tumor tissue-modified viral human papillomavirus DNA (TTMV-HPV DNA) levels in predicting human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPV+ OPSCC) disease burden is unknown.

Objective: To determine if preoperative circulating tumor HPV DNA (ctHPVDNA) is associated with disease burden in patients with HPV+ OPSCC who have undergone transoral robotic surgery (TORS).

Design, Setting, And Participants: This cross-sectional study comprised patients with HPV+ OPSCC who underwent primary TORS between September 2021 and April 2023 at one tertiary academic institution.

Flap-based Closure of Acquired Tracheoesophageal Fistulas.

Iatrogenic tracheoesophageal fistulae management and repair are difficult to manage with few resourced describing management and repair. Two cases are presented describing the approach to and repair of a tracheoesophagea fistula; one with a free flap and one with local flap reconstruction. Both cases utilized allograft material to maintain separation between the alimentary and repiratory tracts.

Surgical Resection Improves Overall Survival in cT4b Major Salivary Gland Cancer.

Objective: To compare surgical and nonsurgical definitive treatment in cT4b major salivary gland cancer (MSGC).

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: The 2004 to 2019 National Cancer Database.

Predicting reoperation and readmission for head and neck free flap patients using machine learning.

Background: To develop machine learning (ML) models predicting unplanned readmission and reoperation among patients undergoing free flap reconstruction for head and neck (HN) surgery.

Methods: Data were extracted from the 2012-2019 NSQIP database. eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) was used to develop ML models predicting 30-day readmission and reoperation based on demographic and perioperative factors.

A novel pipeline for prioritizing cancer type-specific therapeutic vulnerabilities using DepMap identifies PAK2 as a target in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

There is limited guidance on exploiting the genome-wide loss-of-function CRISPR screens in cancer Dependency Map (DepMap) to identify new targets for individual cancer types. This study integrated multiple tools to filter these data in order to seek new therapeutic targets specific to head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The resulting pipeline prioritized 143 targetable dependencies that represented both well-studied targets and emerging target classes like mitochondrial carriers and RNA-binding proteins.

Nodal Metastasis in Surgically Treated Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Introduction: Management of the neck in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) is essential to oncologic control and survival. The rates of lymph node metastasis (LNM) vary based on oral cavity tumor site and stage and influence treatment decisions. The aim of this paper was to describe clinical LNM for different tumor subsites and stages of surgically managed OCSCC.

The Global Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Workforce.

Importance: A core component of delivering care of head and neck diseases is an adequate workforce. The World Health Organization report, Multi-Country Assessment of National Capacity to Provide Hearing Care, captured primary workforce estimates from 68 member states in 2012, noting that response rates were a limitation and that updated more comprehensive data are needed.

Objective: To establish comprehensive workforce metrics for global otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (OHNS) with updated data from more countries/territories.

Nodal metastasis in surgically treated laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Management of the neck in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is essential to oncologic control and survival. We aim to describe patterns and rates of clinical/pathologic lymph node disease, elective neck dissection (END), and occult lymph node metastasis (LNM) in patients with surgically-managed LSCC.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study of patients in the National Cancer Database (NCDB) diagnosed with LSCC between January 2004 and December 2016 who underwent primary surgery.

A comprehensive review and characterization of nasopharyngeal carcinoma clinical trials.

Objective: Although standard of care for primary nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is chemoradiotherapy, there remains no consensus on management of recurrent or metastatic disease. We characterized recent clinical trials on NPC to assess trends in NPC treatment and establish promising areas for future research.

Study Design: Retrospective database study.