5-FU Weakens Defensive Functions of the Junctional Epithelium.

Aim: To investigate additional factors contributing to the pathophysiology of chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis and periodontitis beyond the systemic immune suppression caused by the chemotherapeutic agent 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU).

Methods: 5-Fluorouracil was topically delivered to the non-keratinized, rapidly proliferating junctional epithelium (JE) surrounding the dentition, and acts as an immunologic and functional barrier to bacterial ingression. Various techniques, including EdU incorporation, quantitative immunohistochemistry (qIHC), histology, enzymatic activity assays, and micro-computed tomographic (μCT) imaging, were employed to analyze the JE at multiple time points following topical 5-FU treatment.

Epidemiological trends in head and neck cancer in Nara Prefecture, Japan, from 2000-2021: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective: Epidemiological surveys were conducted in Nara Prefecture, Japan, to determine the prevalence of head and neck cancer in the region since 1986.

Methods: This study examined the dynamics of visits to 18 medical institutions treating head and neck cancer in Nara Prefecture from 2000 to 2021.

Results: A total of 8,605 patients were registered, with 4,788 being male and 3,787 female.

Post-operative vestibular function outcomes evaluated by video Head Impulse Test in patients with non-vestibular schwannoma cerebellopontine angle tumors.

Objectives: To evaluate post-operative semicircular canal function in patients with non-vestibular schwannoma (VS) cerebellopontine angle (CPA) tumors by video Head Impulse Test (vHIT).

Methods: Fourteen patients with non-VS CPA tumors who underwent surgery. The gain in vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) was examined pre- and post-operatively for the semicircular canals in patients with non-VS CPA tumors.

Piezo1-Induced Nasal Epithelial Barrier Dysfunction in Allergic Rhinitis.

This study aimed to investigate the role of Piezo1 in nasal epithelial barrier dysfunction in allergic rhinitis (AR) using both in vitro and in vivo experimental methods. A total of 79 human nasal mucosal samples were collected, including 43 from AR patients and 36 from healthy controls. Additionally, 12 BALB/c mice were used for the in vivo experiments.

Transoral Laser Microsurgery Versus Radiotherapy for T1-T2 Glottic Cancer with Anterior Commissure Involvement: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: To identify the most effective treatment modality for achieving favorable outcomes in early glottic tumors with anterior commissure involvement (ACI).

Data Sources: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect.

Review Methods: Random-effects proportional meta-analysis model is used to evaluate the oncological and functional outcomes of transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) versus radiation therapy (RT) in early glottic (T1-T2) cancer with ACI.

Recurrent and Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer: Mechanisms of Treatment Failure, Treatment Paradigms, and New Horizons.

Head and neck cancer is a deadly disease with over 500,000 cases annually worldwide. Metastatic head and neck cancer accounts for a large proportion of the mortality associated with this disease. Many advances have been made in our understanding of the mechanisms of metastasis.

Richness for Tumor-Infiltrating B-Cells in the Oral Cancer Tumor Microenvironment Is a Prognostic Factor in Early-Stage Disease and Improves Outcome in Advanced-Stage Disease.

Background/objectives: Most studies on the interaction between the immune system and cancer focus on T-cells, whereas studies on tumor-infiltrating B-lymphocytes (TIL-Bs) are still underrepresented. The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic impact of TIL-Bs in early- and advanced-stage oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC).

Methods: In total, 222 OCSCCs were studied.

Role of Mutation in the Development of Eleven Different Cancers.

: With the rise in prevalence of diagnostic genetic techniques like RNA sequencing and whole exome sequencing (WES), as well as biological treatment regiments for cancer therapy, several genes have been implicated in carcinogenesis. This review aims to update our understanding of the Neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2) gene and its role in the pathogenesis of various cancers. : A comprehensive search of five online databases yielded 43 studies that highlighted the effect of sporadic NF2 mutations on several cancers, including sporadic meningioma, ependymoma, schwannoma, mesothelioma, breast cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, prostate cancer, glioblastoma, thyroid cancer, and melanoma.

3D Scanning of Surgical Specimens to Improve Communication Between Surgeon and Pathologist: A Head and Neck Pilot Study.

Successful surgical outcomes in head and neck cancer depend on the accurate identification of resection margins. Effective communication between surgeons and pathologists is critical, but is often jeopardised by challenges in sampling and orienting anatomically complex specimens. This pilot study aims to evaluate the use of 3D scanning of surgical specimens as a tool to improve communication and optimise the pathology sampling process.

Recurrent Sinonasal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Current Insights and Treatment Advances.

Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common malignancy affecting the sinonasal tract. Local recurrence is the main pattern of treatment failure, affecting nearly half of patients treated for primary sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma (SNSCC). Due to disease rarity and heterogeneity of practices, there are limited guidelines for how to diagnose and care for these patients.

Identifying Strong Neoantigen MHC-I/II Binding Candidates for Targeted Immunotherapy with SINE.

The discovery of tumor-derived neoantigens which elicit an immune response through major histocompatibility complex (MHC-I/II) binding has led to significant advancements in immunotherapy. While many neoantigens have been discovered through the identification of non-synonymous mutations, the rate of these is low in some cancers, including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Therefore, the identification of neoantigens through additional means, such as aberrant splicing, is necessary.

Cochlear Mechanics Are Preserved After Inner Ear Delivery of Gold Nanoparticles.

Novel therapeutic delivery systems and delivery methods to the inner ear are necessary to treat hearing loss and inner ear disorders. However, numerous barriers exist to therapeutic delivery into the bone-encased and immune-privileged environment of the inner ear and cochlea, which makes treating inner ear disorders challenging. Nanoparticles (NPs) are a type of therapeutic delivery system that can be engineered for multiple purposes, and posterior semicircular canal (PSCC) infusion is a method to directly deposit them into the cochlea.

An Overview of Zika Virus and Zika Virus Induced Neuropathies.

Flaviviruses pose a major public health concern across the globe. Among them, Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging and reemerging arthropod-borne flavivirus that has become a major international public health problem following multiple large outbreaks over the past two decades. The majority of infections caused by ZIKV exhibit mild symptoms.

Hearing Preservation Outcomes in 230 Consecutive Patients with Small Vestibular Schwannomas Treated with Microsurgery.

Objective: To evaluate hearing preservation (HP) outcomes for patients with small sporadic vestibular schwannomas (VS) who elect to undergo microsurgical resection.

Study Design: Retrospective study.

Setting: Tertiary single-academic institution.

Treatment Response Evaluation in Necrotizing Otitis Externa Using 18F-FDG-PET Imaging.

Objective: This study aims to identify 18F-FDG-PET imaging features for improving treatment response evaluation in patients with necrotizing otitis externa (NOE), aiding in the difficult differentiation between sterile inflammation and active infection.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Tertiary hospital.

PSMA2 promotes chemo- and radioresistance of oral squamous cell carcinoma by modulating mitophagy pathway.

Oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) represents the most prevalent malignancy among head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs). Standard treatment modalities include surgical resection combined with radiation and chemotherapy. However, locoregional failure remains a critical issue affecting the prognosis of OSCC patients, largely due to tumor resistance against radiation or chemotherapy.

Postmarketing safety evaluation of belimumab: a pharmacovigilance analysis.

Objective: The present study aimed to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the postmarketing safety of belimumab based on the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database.

Methods: Adverse event (AE) reports in the FAERS database from January 2021 to December 2023 were extracted to perform the disproportionality analysis by calculating the reporting OR. The clinical characteristics and onset times of AEs were investigated.

Chemically defined and dynamic click hydrogels support hair cell differentiation in human inner ear organoids.

The mechanical properties in the inner ear microenvironment play a key role in its patterning during embryonic development. To recapitulate inner ear development in vitro, three-dimensional tissue engineering strategies including the application of representative tissue models and scaffolds are of increasing interest. Human inner ear organoids are a promising model to recapitulate developmental processes; however, the current protocol requires Matrigel that contains ill-defined extracellular matrix components.

Functional and oncological outcomes of transoral laser versus robotic surgery in supraglottic squamous cell carcinoma.

Objective: To compare the surgical, functional and oncological outcomes of Transoral Laser Microsurgery (TLM) and Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS) for the treatment of supraglottic squamous cell carcinoma.

Study Design: Retrospective case series with prospective data.

Settings: Tertiary Academic Medical Center.

Treatment outcomes of primary salivary gland squamous cell carcinoma: A multi-institutional retrospective study in Japan.

Objective: Primary salivary gland squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is extremely rare, accounting for 0.3-10.4 % of all salivary gland malignancies.

Genetic variants in PD-1 and its ligands, gene-gene and gene-environment interactions in allergic rhinitis.

Background: The etiology of allergic rhinitis (AR), in which genetic and environmental factors are closely intertwined, has not yet been completely clarified. Programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) and its ligands (PD-L1 and PD-L2) regulate the immune and inflammatory responses during the development of immune-related and atopic diseases. To clarify the associations of genetic variants in PD-1, PD-L1 and PD-L2 with susceptibility to AR, gene-gene and gene-environment interactions were investigated.

Barriers to Research for Academic Otologists/Neurotologists in the United States.

Objective: The physician-scientist workforce is shrinking in the United States. Academic otologists/neurotologists face a diverse set of barriers to successful careers. We aimed to characterize the factors affecting contemporary otology/neurotology surgeon-scientists.

Comparing the Accuracy and Reliability of ABC/2 and Planimetry for Vestibular Schwannoma Volume Assessment.

Background: Vestibular schwannoma (VS) is a common intracranial tumor that affects patients' quality of life. Reliable imaging techniques for tumor volume assessment are essential for guiding management decisions. The study aimed to compare the ABC/2 method to the gold standard planimetry method for volumetric assessment of VS.

Angiotensin-Receptor Blockers Prevent Vestibular Schwannoma-Associated Hearing Loss.

Background Introduction: Vestibular schwannoma (VS) tumors typically present with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Losartan has recently demonstrated prevention of tumor-associated SNHL in a mouse model of VS through suppression of inflammatory and pro-fibrotic factors, and the current study investigates this association in humans.

Methods: This is a retrospective study of patients with unilateral VS and hypertension followed with sequential audiometry at a tertiary referral hospital from January 1994 to June 2023.

Detection of Extracochlear Electrodes Using Electrical Field Imaging (EFI).

Objective: To analyze the use of electrical field imaging (EFI) in the detection of extracochlear electrodes in cochlear implants (CI).

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Tertiary academic medical center.