Publications by authors named "Thomas Houser"
Purpose: A higher minimum monitor unit (minMU) for pencil-beam scanning proton beams in intensity-modulated proton therapy is preferred for more efficient delivery. However, plan quality may be compromised when the minMU is too large. This study aimed to identify the optimal minMU (OminMU) to improve plan delivery efficiency while maintaining high plan quality.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To determine whether injection laryngoplasty (IL) resolves thin liquid aspiration among children with unilateral vocal cord paralysis (UVCP) after cardiac surgery.
Study Design: Retrospective case-control.
Setting: Tertiary children's hospital.
Laryngopharyngeal Reflux: Effect of Race and Insurance Status on Symptomology.
Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol
May 2023
Objectives: Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) is an extraesophageal variant of gastroesophageal reflux disease associated with intermittent dysphonia, throat-clearing, and chronic cough. This study aims to evaluate the impact of race and insurance status on symptoms often attributable to LPR.
Methods: Retrospective review of all patients with suspected LPR from 2017 to 2019 was performed at a tertiary care center.
Article Synopsis
- Recent research identified "ACPSVs" (Apoptotic Compensatory Proliferation Signaling microvesicles) released by dying cells, which promote growth in nearby cells to counterbalance cell death.
- A small study examined the production of ACPSVs in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cell lines and patient tumors, finding that both primary and metastatic cancer cells produced these microvesicles, even under healthy conditions in metastatic cells.
- The presence of ACPSVs in all analyzed SCC tumors suggests a significant role in tumor biology and potential implications for cancer treatments, indicating that further research is necessary.
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate survival differences between low-grade and high-grade base of tongue (BOT) adenocarcinoma by examining demographics, tumor characteristics, and treatment modalities.
Methods: The National Cancer Database was queried for patients with BOT adenocarcinoma between 2004 and 2017. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed for all cases of BOT adenocarcinoma.
Purpose/objective(s): With reports of CNS toxicity in patients treated with proton therapy at doses lower than would be expected based on photon data, it has been proposed that heavy monitor unit (MU) weighting of pencil beam scanning (PBS) proton therapy spots may potentially increase the risk of toxicity. We evaluated the impact of maximum MU weighting per spot (maxMU/spot) restrictions on PBS plan quality, prior to implementing clinic-wide maxMU/spot restrictions.
Materials/methods: PBS plans of 11 patients, of which 3 plans included boosts, for a total of 14 PBS sample cases were included.