Oral Oncology

INTRODUCTION: Resident memory T (TRM ) cells are embedded in peripheral tissue and capable of acting as sentinels that can respond quickly to repeat pathogen exposure as part of an endogenous anti-microbial immune response. Recent evidence suggests that chronic antigen exposure and other microenvironment cues may promote the development of TRM cells within solid tumors as well, and that this TRM phenotype can sequester tumor-specific T cells into tumors and out of circulation resulting in limited systemic antitumor immunity...

OBJECTIVES: To investigate and describe the patterns of regional metastases and recurrences after surgical treatment of oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer (OPSCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective study of patients diagnosed with OPSCC from 2006 to 2021 at a tertiary referral center. Only patients treated with surgery including a neck dissection were included. Patients with unknown human papillomavirus (HPV) status, prior head and neck cancer, distant metastases, or synchronous head and neck cancer were excluded...

OBJECTIVE: Early identification of human papillomavirus associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPV(+)OPSCC) is challenging and novel biomarkers are needed. We hypothesized that a panel of methylated DNA markers (MDMs) found in HPV(+) cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) will have similar discrimination in HPV(+)OPSCC tissues. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues were obtained from patients with primary HPV(+)OPSCC or HPV(+)CSCC; control tissues included normal oropharynx palatine tonsil (NOP) and cervix (NCS)...

BACKGROUND: Intermediate and high-risk features (IRFs/HRFs) for locoregional recurrence following initial surgery for oropharyngeal SCCs (OP-SCCs) were defined prior to the known association of HPV with OP-SCC. There are limited reports on practice patterns and outcomes associated with post-operative radiation therapy (PORT) or chemoradiation (POCRT) for HPV-associated OP-SCCs. MATERIALS/METHODS: The National Cancer Database was queried for patients with HPV-associated OP-SCCs managed initially with surgery with IRFs or HRFs...

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of the lymph node ratio (LNR) on postoperative thyroglobulin (Tg) levels in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective, cohort study. The association between clinicopathological variables and postoperative unstimulated Tg (uTg) levels, preablative-stimulated Tg (sTg) levels, and postablative unstimulated Tg levels was analysed. RESULTS: A total of 300 patients with PTC were identified...

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Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are associated with significant treatment-related morbidity and poor disease-free and disease-specific survival, especially in the recurrent and metastatic (R/M HNSCC) setting. Inhibition of the programmed death-1/ligand-1 (PD-1/PD-L1) immune checkpoint is accepted as a first-line treatment strategy for R/M HNSCC and has expanded into the neoadjuvant, definitive, and adjuvant settings. To understand cellular signals modulating the PD-L1 in HNSCC, we profiled a HNSCC cell-line with a genome-wide open reading frame (ORF) library of 17,000 individual constructs (14,000 unique genes)...

OBJECTIVE: Small carcinomas of the palatine tonsil are often diagnosed via simple tonsillectomy, a maneuver with non-therapeutic intent. Herein, practice patterns for this unique situation are evaluated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was performed across 10 facilities to identify patients with cT1-2 squamous carcinomas of the tonsil diagnosed by simple tonsillectomy between 2010 and 2018. Patients who received curative-intent intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) without additional surgery were included...

A 54-year-old male patient complained of nasal obstruction and epistaxis for 2 years, with worsening of the symptoms in the preceding year. Physical examination revealed a friable, irregular mass, with yellowish secretion, in the left nasal fossa. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an expansive lesion in the left nasal cavity, extending into the nasopharynx, ethmoid, right nasal cavity, and cortical bone of the hard palate. An incisional biopsy was then performed. Morphologically, a cellular malignant proliferation with a solid basaloid appearance admixed with adenoid cystic-like areas was observed...

PURPOSE: To investigate the role of induction chemotherapy (IC) in lymph node-positive (LN-positive) stage III nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). METHODS: In total, 627 patients with newly diagnosed LN-positive stage III NPC receiving CCRT or IC plus CCRT were included. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Propensity-score matching (PSM) was conducted to balance the intergroup covariates. Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank test was employed to compare survival curves...

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OBJECTIVES: The delivery of healthcare has changed significantly over the past decades. This study analyzes the clinicodemographic factors and treatment patterns of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients between 2004 and 2020. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective cohort analysis of HNSCC patients from the National Cancer Data Base from 2004 to 2020. RESULTS: A total of 164,290 patients were included. Increased times from diagnosis to definitive surgery (TTS) were seen across all facility types (academic centers, AC; non-academic centers, NAC) between 2004 and 2019, with NAC affected more...

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No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

OBJECTIVES: Head and neck cancer (HNC) impairs patient immunity and increases susceptibility to oral fungal infections (OFIs). Effectively treating such infections requires accurate identification of the causative pathogens. This study aimed to characterize the mycobiota profile of OFIs in HNC patients undergoing radiation treatment (RT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 6-year retrospective analysis of oral mucosal samples from HNC patients with a history of RT and OFIs between 2014 and 2019 was conducted using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) profiling...

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BACKGROUND: Carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma (CXPA) is a neoplasm of the salivary gland that causes 3.6% of salivary gland tumors and 12% of salivary gland malignancies. Its prognosis is determined by the histological progression beyond the adenoma capsule. CXPA is thought to be a malignant transformation of a primary or recurrent pleomorphic adenoma and is associated with both benign and malignant lesions. Salivary gland cancers represent a rare heterogeneous group of neoplasms with complex clinicopathological characteristics and distinct biological behavior...