Transoral Robotic Surgery and Radiation Volume Deintensification in Unknown Primary Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Neck: The Phase 2 FIND Nonrandomized Controlled Trial.

Importance: Patients with unknown primary squamous cell carcinoma (CUP) with cervical metastases typically receive comprehensive radiotherapy (RT) of the pharynx and bilateral neck. Typically, these patients receive comprehensive RT of the pharynx and bilateral neck that may produce treatment-related toxic effects.

Objective: To determine whether localization of occult oropharyngeal cancers with transoral robotic surgery (TORS) combined with reduced pharyngeal and neck RT volumes provides acceptable disease control.

Contralateral nodal failures in oropharyngeal cancers after TORS and unilateral neck management: a retrospective study.

Background: Report the incidence of contralateral nodal failure rates in well-lateralized oropharyngeal carcinoma treated with upfront surgery and unilateral neck management.

Methods: Lateralized oropharyngeal carcinomas treated with upfront surgery using transoral robotic surgery (TORS) and unilateral neck management (unilateral neck dissection ± unilateral radiation treatment) were identified. Primary endpoint was contralateral regional control (CRC).

Acceptability of Routine Evaluations Using Patient-Reported Outcomes of Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events and Other Patient-Reported Symptom Outcome Tools in Cancer Outpatients: Princess Margaret Cancer Centre Experience.

Background: Recent studies have demonstrated improved outcomes with real-time patient-reported outcome questionnaires (PRO questionnaires) using questions adapted for patient use from the National Cancer Institute's Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE). Outside of the clinical trial setting, limited information exists on factors affecting the completion of PRO questionnaires in routine practice. The primary aim of this prospective cross-sectional study was to evaluate patient willingness to complete PRO questionnaires on a regular basis and to better understand responder biases to improve patient feedback.

Occult contralateral nodal disease in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients undergoing primary TORS with bilateral neck dissection.

Background: Knowledge of the rate of occult contralateral nodal disease for oropharynx cancers (OPSCC) in the era of Human Papillomavirus-dominated disease would inform practitioners as to who may be a candidate for unilateral neck management. The objective of this study was to determine the rate of pathologic contralateral positive nodes in patients in OPSCC patients with pT1 and pT2 disease treated with TORS and bilateral neck dissections (BND).

Methods: Retrospective review of medical records was performed at Princess Margaret Cancer Center, Toronto; Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City; and Montefiore Medical Center, New York City.

Proteomic Analysis of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Reveals a Paracrine Role for MFAP5 in Human Oral Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Bidirectional communication between cells and their microenvironment is crucial for both normal tissue homeostasis and tumor growth. During the development of oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC), cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) create a supporting niche by maintaining a bidirectional crosstalk with cancer cells, mediated by classically secreted factors and various nanometer-sized vesicles, termed as extracellular vesicles (EVs). To better understand the role of CAFs within the tumor stroma and elucidate the mechanism by which secreted proteins contribute to OTSCC progression, we isolated and characterized patient-derived CAFs from resected tumors with matched adjacent tissue fibroblasts (AFs).

EQ-5D Health Utility Scores: Data from a Comprehensive Canadian Cancer Centre.

Background: To improve the precision of health economics analyses in oncology, reference datasets of health utility (HU) scores are needed from cancer survivors across different disease sites. These data are particularly sparse amongst Canadian survivors.

Methods: A survey was completed by 1759 ambulatory cancer survivors at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre which contained demographic questions and the EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) instrument.

Salvage surgery for locally recurrent oropharyngeal cancer.

Background: There are limited data on whether recurrent human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is associated with higher surgical salvage rates. The purpose of this study was to determine the success rate of salvage surgery for locally recurrent oropharyngeal cancer and factors influencing the outcome, including p16 status.

Methods: All patients who underwent salvage surgery for locally recurrent or persistent oropharyngeal cancer after (chemo)radiotherapy between 2000 and 2012 were included.

Predictors of breast radiotherapy plan modifications: quality assurance rounds in a large cancer centre.

Background And Purpose: This study describes the process and outcomes of breast radiotherapy (RT) quality assurance (QA) rounds, seeking to identify variables associated with plan modifications.

Materials And Methods: Real-time data were prospectively collected over 2 years. Descriptive statistics determined the proportion of cases requiring no (A), minor (B), or major (C) modifications, which were then subjected to univariate and multivariate analyses.

Integrated omic analysis of oropharyngeal carcinomas reveals human papillomavirus (HPV)-dependent regulation of the activator protein 1 (AP-1) pathway.

HPV-positive oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC) patients have superior outcomes relative to HPV-negative patients, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. We conducted a proteomic investigation of HPV-positive (n = 27) and HPV-negative (n = 26) formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded OPC biopsies to acquire insights into the biological pathways that correlate with clinical behavior. Among the 2,633 proteins identified, 174 were differentially abundant.

Potentially novel candidate biomarkers for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma identified using an integrated cell line-based discovery strategy.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) can arise from the oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx or hypopharynx, and is the sixth leading cancer by incidence worldwide. The 5-year survival rate of HNSCC patients remains static at 40-60%. Hence, biomarkers which can improve detection of HNSCC or early recurrences should improve clinical outcome.