Salvage endoscopic nasopharyngectomy for recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma in a non-endemic area.

PURPOSE: To analyze oncological outcomes of endoscopic surgical treatment of locally recurrent EBV-related undifferentiated non-keratinizing nasopharyngeal carcinoma (uNK-NPC) in a non-endemic area. METHODS: Retrospective review of patients affected by recurrent uNK-NPC treated with nasopharyngeal endoscopic resection (NER) in a tertiary-care referral center from 2003 to 2022, by evaluating survival rates, prognostic factors, and follow-up strategies. RESULTS: The oncological outcomes of 41 patients were analyzed, over a mean follow-up period of 57 months. The 5-year overall, disease-specific, and disease-free survival of the cohort were 60.7% ± 8.9%, 69% ± 9%, and 39.7% ± 9.2%, respectively. The local (rT) and regional (rN) extension of recurrent disease, stage of disease, and status of resection margins appeared to significantly influence survivals. After a mean follow-up period of 21 months, a further recurrence after NER was observed in 36.6% of cases. Skull base osteonecrosis induced by previous irradiation and post-surgical bone remodeling represent the major challenges for early detection of further local relapses during postoperative follow-up. CONCLUSION: NER appeared as a safe and effective treatment for recurrent uNK-NPC. The adequate selection of patients eligible for NER is essential, to maximize the chances to cure and minimize the risk of local complications.

Recurrence of breast ptosis after mastopexy - a prospective pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Breast ptosis is characterized by severe volumetric deficiency of the upper pole, excess of skin in the lower pole and descent of the nipple-areola complex (NAC). Mastopexy, also known as breast lifting, is the surgical operation aimed to reshape the ptotic breast. Recurrence of breast ptosis after mastopexy is common but to the best of our knowledge no study before has measured it. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to measure the recurrence of breast ptosis after mastopexy in a prospective study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Female patients affected by unilateral or bilateral moderate or severe breast ptosis were enrolled in the study. All the patients underwent mastopexy performed only with the removal of skin excess following a Wise pattern. The jugular notch-nipple distance was measured before surgery, immediately after surgery and after 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. RESULTS: Ten patients were included in the study, four underwent unilateral mastopexy and six underwent bilateral mastopexy. The lifting of the NAC, measured in the immediate post-operative period, ranged from 3 to 8.5 cm, with an average value of 6.3 cm. This lifting, one year after surgery, ranged from 2 to 7 cm, with an average value of 4.6 cm. The percentage loss of the NAC lifting one year after surgery compared to the immediate post-operative time ranged from 12.5 to 41.7%, with an average value of 27.5%. CONCLUSION: In our case series, the lifting of the NAC obtained immediately after surgery showed an average loss of 27.5% one year after surgery. Even if limited by the low number of patients included, this pilot study is eye-opening on a very common phenomenon that occurs after mastopexy. The patients should be informed about the possible recurrence of the breast ptosis.

International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Sinonasal Tumors.

BACKGROUND: Sinonasal neoplasms, whether benign and malignant, pose a significant challenge to clinicians and represent a model area for multidisciplinary collaboration in order to optimize patient care. The International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Sinonasal Tumors (ICSNT) aims to summarize the best available evidence and presents 48 thematic and histopathology-based topics spanning the field. METHODS: In accordance with prior International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology documents, ICSNT assigned each topic as an Evidence-Based Review with Recommendations, Evidence-Based Review, and Literature Review based on the level of evidence. An international group of multidisciplinary author teams were assembled for the topic reviews using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses format, and completed sections underwent a thorough and iterative consensus-building process. The final document underwent rigorous synthesis and review prior to publication. RESULTS: The ICSNT document consists of four major sections: general principles, benign neoplasms and lesions, malignant neoplasms, and quality of life and surveillance. It covers 48 conceptual and/or histopathology-based topics relevant to sinonasal neoplasms and masses. Topics with a high level of evidence provided specific recommendations, while other areas summarized the current state of evidence. A final section highlights research opportunities and future directions, contributing to advancing knowledge and community intervention. CONCLUSION: As an embodiment of the multidisciplinary and collaborative model of care in sinonasal neoplasms and masses, ICSNT was designed as a comprehensive, international, and multidisciplinary collaborative endeavor. Its primary objective is to summarize the existing evidence in the field of sinonasal neoplasms and masses.

Lateral Orbitotomy Cryo-Assisted Removal of Orbital Cavernous Hemangiomas: Case Report and Technical Hints.

Orbital cavernous hemangiomas are the most common adult benign vascular orbital neoformation, representing 5%-15% of all orbital masses, and may involve the extraconal or intraconal space.1 According to the International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies, orbital cavernous hemangiomas should be classified as low-flow nondistensible venous malformations and are characterized by slow growth, generally 0.2 cm3/year.2,3 For these characteristics, complete surgical resection is necessary for symptomatic patients or in case of significant volumetric increase in its size.4Video 1 demonstrates the cryo-assisted removal of an intraconal orbital hemangioma (22 × 26 mm) located in the superior-lateral aspect of the right orbit in a 55-year-old woman. The patient presented with right exophthalmos and diplopia on right lateral gaze. The lesion was completely removed using a right lateral orbitotomy combined with a superior eyelid endoscopic-assisted approach. Intraoperative neuronavigation was used to correctly identify the location of the orbital hemangioma. Exophthalmos resolved postoperatively, without any cosmetic sequelae or visual impairment. Magnetic resonance imaging performed 8 months after surgery demonstrated excellent surgical outcomes, with complete resolution of the exophthalmos and without evidence of persistence of disease. A multidisciplinary approach, involving different specialists familiar with orbital anatomy and physiology, is fundamental in the management of these rare orbital pathologies.

It is time to improve the diagnostic workup of oropharyngeal cancer with circulating tumor HPV DNA: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

The possibility of detecting circulating tumor HPV DNA (ctHPVDNA) in plasma in patients with oropharyngeal cancer has been demonstrated in several reports. However, these data are from small cohorts and available tests for detection of ctHPVDNA are not fully validated. The aim is to evaluate sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of ctHPVDNA by ddPCR to define its efficacy in the clinical setting for the diagnosis of HPV + OPSCC. A comprehensive search of three different databases: MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases. A total of 998 patients were evaluated from the 13 studies. OPSSC p16+ were 729, while controls p16- were 269. The meta-analytic study estimated the diagnostic performance of ctHPVDNA as follows: pooled sensitivity and specificity of 0.90 (95% CI: 0.82-0.94) and 0.94 (95% CI: 0.85-0.98), respectively; positive and negative likelihood ratios of 12.6 (95% CI: 4.9-32.1) and 0.05 (95% CI: 0.02-0.13), respectively. ddPCR for ctHPVDNA has good accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity for diagnosis of HPV + OPSCC. ctHPVDNA kinetic represents a great reliable opportunity to improve diagnostic and therapeutic management of cancer patients and could open new perspectives for understanding tumor biology.

Ectopic Primary Olfactory Neuroblastoma: Case Series and Literature Review.

OBJECTIVE: Olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB) is a rare malignant tumor arising in the upper nasal cleft. Rarely, ONB may originate in ectopic sites and the impact of this on prognosis and treatment strategies continues to be debated. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was undertaken of patients with ectopic ONB treated between 2000 and 2020 in a tertiary-care referral center for skull base tumors. Three patients were included in this analysis: a 37-year-old woman with ONB arising from the bulla ethmoidalis; a 28-year-old man with inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone caused by a maxillary sinus ONB; and a 41-year-old man with lacrimal sac ONB. Preoperative workup, surgical approach, adjuvant treatments and postoperative surveillance were analyzed. Relevant literature published between 2000 and January 2021 was fully reviewed to investigate oncologic outcomes and delineate the standard of care for such rare tumors. RESULTS: All patients were treated via endoscopic endonasal resection with radical intent, followed by adjuvant treatments when required. No recurrences of disease were observed after a mean follow-up time of 32 months (range, 12-60 months). Data emerging from the literature suggest that a multidisciplinary treatment approach, including free-margins surgical resection followed by adjuvant radiotherapy or radiochemotherapy, is recommended. Olfactory bulb and dura preservation should be attempted whenever feasible. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic endonasal surgery should be preferred, when possible, to achieve complete excision to minimize patients' morbidity. The ectopic site of origin affects prognosis and should be considered when selecting the appropriate multimodal treatment strategy.

Biphenotypic sinonasal sarcoma: European multicentre case-series and systematic literature review.

Objective: Biphenotypic sinonasal sarcoma (BSNS) is a rare low-grade cancer that was included from the 4th edition of WHO classification of head and neck tumours. The purpose of this study is to analyse clinical behaviour, pattern of recurrences and survival outcomes of this neoplasm. Methods: Retrospective review of patients affected by BSNS who were treated via an endoscopic-assisted approach in 6 European tertiary-care referral hospitals. Cases of BSNS described in literature since 2012 to date were fully reviewed, according to PRISMA guidelines. Results: A total of 15 patients were included. Seven patients were treated via an endoscopic endonasal approach, 4 with endoscopic transnasal craniectomy, and 4 via a cranio-endoscopic approach. Adjuvant treatment was delivered in 2 cases. After a mean follow-up of 27.3 months, systemic metastasis was observed in 1 case; the 5-year overall survival and disease-free survival rates were 100% and 80 ± 17.9%, respectively. Conclusions: BSNS is a locally aggressive tumour with a low recurrence rate and encouraging survival outcomes if properly treated with surgical resection and free margins followed by adjuvant radiotherapy for selected cases. Endoscopic-assisted surgery is safe and effective as an upfront treatment within a multidisciplinary care protocol.

Congenital bony nasal cavity stenosis: A review of current trends in diagnosis and treatment.

Congenital bony nasal cavity stenosis is caused by alterations of the normal embryological development of the nasal cavity. Depending on the site of the obstruction, the most important types of stenosis are: choanal atresia and stenosis, congenital nasal pyriform aperture stenosis, congenital midnasal stenosis, arhinia and nasal septum deviation. Although they are uncommon, they could be potentially life-threatening conditions that require early diagnosis and proper treatment. In case of neonatal nasal obstruction, appropriate differential diagnosis with other causes, such as rhinitis and sinonasal masses, are performed by nasal endoscopy and radiological exams. Treatment strategy consisting of medical nasal therapies and endoscopic or open nasal surgery should be tailored according to the types and the degree of the stenosis. When indicated, endoscopic endonasal approach is considered the most effective technique in neonates warranting minimal surgical invasiveness and maximum effect. In order to promote the management of these rare yet clinically relevant neonatal nasal breath disorders, we review the current trends in diagnosis and treatment of congenital bony nasal cavity stenosis.