Clinical, Radiological and Histological Features and Their Association with Extranodal Extension in Buccoalveolar Complex Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Jeyashanth RijuObjectives The study was aimed to (1) evaluate the effectiveness of clinical examination, intraoperative finding, and contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) to detect extranodal extension (ENE) in buccoalveolar complex squamous cell carcinoma (BAOSCC), (2) to know various factors influencing ENE, and (3) to evaluate survival outcome in patients with ENE. Materials and Methods This was a retrospective cohort study, which included 137 patients with BAOSCC who underwent curative treatment between May 2019 and April 2021. Collaborative findings suggestive of ENE were noted during preoperative clinical examination, CECT, and intraoperatively, and their efficacy was compared with postoperative histopathology. Also, the various factors associated with ENE were evaluated and compared. Statistical Analysis Univariate and multivariate analysis of parameters was done using multiple logistic regression analysis and significant correlation was determined using chi-square test between ENE positive and negative categories. Analysis of prognosis and survival was done by Kaplan-Meier curve plotting using regression analysis and its significance was compared. Results The overall prevalence of ENE was 18.98% and that of lymph node involvement was 40.88%. CECT (73.1%) was found to be more sensitive in detecting ENE compared to intraoperative examination (46.2%) and clinical examination (34.6%).In comparison with clinical examination (91.9%) or CECT (78.38%), intraoperative examination (93.7%) showed the highest specificity in detecting ENE. Clinical nodal size ≥ 3 cm ( p ≤ 0.001), fixity ( p ≤ 0.001), and clinical number of nodes ( p ≤ 0.001) had significant association with ENE. The presence of thick nodal walls on CECT increased the probability of predicting ENE 15 times ( p = 0.180, confidence interval: 0.3-765.4). After a mean follow-up of 18 months, subjects without nodal positivity had a survival advantage over patients with positive lymph nodes (86.4% vs. 53.3%) and those with ENE (86.4% vs. 23.2%), respectively. Conclusion The results demonstrated that clinical examination can be used as an adjuvant to radiological imaging for prediction of ENE preoperatively. Clinical finding suggesting size of node ≥ 3 cm and ≥ 2 nodes are strong predictor of ENE, in addition to other known predictors. Patients with ENE had an unfavorable prognosis when compared with subjects with metastatic nodes without ENE. Presence of ENE remains one of the strongest factors predicting recurrence and thus poor prognosis.

A Site-Based Analysis of Relationship Between Clinicopathological Factors and Their Influence on Locoregional Recurrence in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

In India, oral cancers are the major cause of cancer-related death. Tongue and buccal mucosa being the major subsites in oral cancer have varying clinicopathological presentations. This study is intended to know the difference in clinicopathological behavior of these two subsites. This retrospective study included 474 patients of which 232 patients had tongue cancer and 242 patients had buccal alveolar complex (BAC) cancer. Comparison between the pathological characters including pattern of nodal involvement was analyzed. Disease-free survival (DFS) and factors influencing the DFS were analyzed and compared using Cox regression analysis. Mean age of the study population was 52.7 years. Tongue oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) differed significantly from BAC OSCC in terms of age of presentation, tumor staging, and perineural invasion. Among neck nodal involvement, tongue OSCC commonly involved level IIa (p < 0.001) whereas BAC involved level Ib (p < 0.001). At a median follow-up of 27 months, 141 patients had disease recurrence, tongue OSCC commonly recurred in neck (p = 0.008), and BAC OSCC relapsed at primary site (p = 0.001). Patients older than 45 years with BAC cancer had lesser risk of recurrence (HR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.2-0.5; p < 0.0001). Pathological tumor stage in tongue cancer (HR, 14.9; 95% CI, 2.6-84.8; p = 0.002) and grade of tumor differentiation in BAC OSCC (HR, 9.2; 95% CI, 1.9-43.3; p < 0.005) were the most significant factors that influenced tumor recurrence. There was a significant difference in factors influencing disease recurrence among tongue and BAC OSCC. Also, pattern of nodal metastasis and pattern of recurrence were different. Hence, further research on OSCC may be done site specific. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13193-023-01750-8.

Role of Infrared Thermography in Planning and Monitoring of Head and Neck Microvascular Flap Reconstruction.

Background: Reconstruction using microvascular free flaps has become the standard of care in head and neck cancer surgery, and their success lies in appropriate planning, adequate revascularization, and early detection of flap compromise so that prompt salvage is possible. This study evaluates the role of infrared thermography in the planning, execution, and postoperative monitoring of microvascular flaps in head and neck reconstructions. Methods: This is a single institutional, prospective observational study conducted at a tertiary care hospital in South India for 13 months. Twenty patients were included, and their thermographic images were captured in the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative settings using the infrared camera FLIR T400. These images were analyzed along with the Doppler, and clinical monitoring findings in all the settings and the temperature difference were calculated postoperatively. Results: Hotspot perforator marking was made using infrared camera, and perforator marking was made using hand-held Doppler preoperatively, which correlated in 93% of cases. Intraoperatively, flap rewarming was successfully demonstrated in 19 of 20 cases. Postoperatively, flap compromise was observed on infrared thermography during the first 24 hours but not on clinical monitoring in three cases. The temperature difference values recorded were 5.4°C, 2.4°C, and 4.9°C. The mean of temperature difference of the healthy flaps was 1.0°C (range 0.1°C-1.8°C). Conclusion: Infrared thermography provides simple and reliable imaging, which can be used in perforator marking and flap designing preoperatively and checking the flap perfusion and vascular anastomosis patency intra- and postoperatively.

Worst Pattern of Invasion as an Independent Predictor of Lymph node Metastasis and Prognosis in oral Cavity Squamous cell carcinoma - A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Although Worst pattern of invasion (WPOI) is one of the histopathological (HP) markers that has been utilized in risk stratification of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients, its potential as an independent predictive factor for lymph node metastasis (LNM) and prognosis is least analyzed. Aim of the study is to analyze the relationship of various HP parameters to WPOI, their propensity for lymph node metastasis and prognostic value. This retrospective study included 140 patients diagnosed with resectable OSCC who underwent definitive surgery. Multiparametric HP risk assessment was done on the postoperative specimen and patients were categorized as low-risk WPOI (Type 1-3), and high-risk group (type 4 and 5). After categorization, 36.1% patients had low-risk WPOI and 63.9% had high-risk WPOI. Significant association was noted between WPOI and patient's age (p = 0.001), nodal stage (p = 0.001), lymphovascular invasion (LVI) (p = 0.006) and neural invasion (p = 0.001). 87% patients with nodal metastasis had high risk WPOI. LVI (p = 0.014) and WPOI (p < 0.001) had significant predictive role in LNM. High-risk WPOI and bone involvement were found to be predictive factors for overall survival, and only high risk WPOI had strong correlation with disease free survival having significant poor prognosis. Analyzing WPOI is essential in reporting HP specimens in OSCC. High-risk WPOI can act as an independent predictor for LNM, early recurrence and poor prognosis. Incorporation of WPOI into TNM staging is recommended to improve clinician's ability to prognosticate and individualize treatment strategies.

Difference in clinical presentation and their significance in oral squamous cell carcinoma: A retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains the most common cancer among Indian men. OSCC involving the tongue and bucco alveolar complex (BAC) behaves differently. Nevertheless, the differences in clinical features and symptoms between the two subsites and their relation to pathology remain largely unexplored. STUDY DESIGN: The study compared various clinical parameters and pathological factors between tongue cancer patients and patients with BAC cancer. RESULTS: Among 474 patients, 232 had tongue cancer and 242 had BAC cancer. Except for the ulcer, 30% of patients with OSCC were asymptomatic at presentation. Compared to tongue cancers, lesions confined to BAC present at an advanced stage (P = 0.006). Multivariate analysis showed that dysphagia in tongue cancer (P = 0.020) and external swelling or lesion in BAC cancers (P = 0.002) were significant predictors of an advanced stage of the disease. On histopathology, perineural invasion (PNI) was significantly associated with tongue (P = 0.008) compared to BAC cancers (P = 0.015). Cancers of the tongue with pain and referred otalgia had a significantly higher depth of invasion (DOI), compared to those without pain (DOI - no pain 6.9 mm, pain 9.9 mm, and referred otalgia 11.4 mm). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with OSCC present late and in an advanced stage of the disease. Among tongue cancers, clinical history of pain was significantly associated with DOI and PNI, the significance of which needs to be prospectively analyzed. Clinical history in OSCC can be used as predicting factor for an advanced pathological stage of the disease. It also had an influence on various pathological characters, which is subsite specific.

Contralateral Nodal Metastasis from Tongue Malignancy.

Oral cavity is the most common site of cancer in India, tongue forms the most common single subsite. Neck node involvement plays an important prognostic role in disease-free survival and overall survival. Most of the nodal metastasis are occult and only an elective neck dissection can disclose the nodal metastasis, which is accepted only when the risk of metastasis exceeds 15-20%. Contralateral nodal metastasis(CLNM) are rarely analyzed due to sparse event.Retrospective analysis of data of patients who underwent surgery for carcinoma tougue with a curative intend between April 2017 and March 2019 were collected. Factors influencing CLNM in carcinoma tongue were studied.The study included 149 patients, with 102 men and 47 women. The mean age of study subjects was 51.5 ± 11.8 years. Thirteen (8.7%) patients had CLNM. With respect to tumor, advanced stage(p < 0.001), floor of mouth involvement(p = 0.001) and lesion crossing midline(p < 0.001) had an increased risk of CLNM. Extranodal extension(ENE)(p < 0.001) and lymphnode ratio(p = 0.002) in ipsilateral node ratio influenced CLNM. Multivariant analysis showed that in addition to lesion crossing midline(p = 0.03), ENE played significant role in CLNM (p < 0.001), with a risk of 12.8 times compared to no ENE. Suspicion of CLNM either clinically/radiologically was a good predictor of metastasis(p < 0.001).CLNM in tongue cancer was significantly influenced by lesion crossing midline and ENE. Contralateral neck dissection should be performed in any case with clinical/radiological suspicion of nodal involvement and above mentioned risk factors.

Solitary fibrous tumor of the masticator space - Report of a rare case.

The solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is a potentially malignant spindle cell neoplasm of the mesenchymal origin that was originally described as a thoracic lesion originating from the pleural tissue. Recently, numerous extrapleural sites of origin have been described, also affecting the head and neck region. SFTs are benign in most cases, but 10%-15% of extrapleural SFTs show malignant behavior in the form of recurrent or metastatic disease. We present the case of a 25-year-old female who presented with an asymptomatic left-sided facial swelling of over three years. She had a diffuse swelling in the left preauricular region, extending to the temporal region deep to the zygomatic arch. On magnetic resonance imaging, the vascular lobulated mass occupied the masticator space, infratemporal fossa, and parapharyngeal space, eroding the mandible. An ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology was suggestive of SFT, positive for signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 and negative for TLE1. After preoperative embolization, the tumor was excised through a midline lip split approach with posterior segmental mandibulectomy and reconstruction with a titanium plate. Histopathological report was consistent with SFT. Due to high-risk features, she was advised adjuvant radiation therapy. SFTs of the head and neck are exceedingly rare and those with aggressive behavior even more so. To our knowledge, this is the only case of SFT arising in the masticator space. Diagnosis is often difficult and not definitive without immunohistochemistry. In most cases, complete surgical excision is the only treatment necessary. Regardless, all patients require close clinical follow-up for several years.

Trigeminocardiac Reflex as a Complication of Excision of Schwannoma of the Trigeminal Nerve - A Rare Clinical Case Report.

Rationale: Trigeminal schwannoma (TS) is a very rare tumour in the head-and-neck region and the occurrence of intraoperative trigeminocardiac reflex (TCR), during surgery, should not be underestimated. The physiological function of this rare brainstem reflex is yet to be fully established. Patient Concerns: TCR occurs in a variety of surgeries, such as neurosurgical, maxillofacial, dental and skull base surgeries with bradycardia as the presenting sign. Diagnosis: This is a clinical profile of two patients who presented with schwannoma of the trigeminal nerve. Outcomes: Intraoperatively, during dissection of tumour, both patients had bradycardia with hypotension. Treatment: The first patient had a spontaneous recovery but the other required intervention with vasopressors. Take-Away Lessons: One must be aware of the rare occurrence of TCR mainly while operating on a rare occurring TS. Ceaseless intraoperative monitoring and being prepared with adequate measures while manipulating close to the nerve will prevent serious complications.

Analysis of Early Impact of COVID-19 on Presentation and Management of Oral Cancers - an Experience from a Tertiary Care Hospital in South India.

Oral cancers are the leading cause of cancer-related death in Indian men. Currently steps to contain the transmission and treatment of COVID-19 pandemic have crippled the entire health care system. With hospitals running short of resources, the oncological practice became standstill, especially during the initial phase. This is a retrospective study among patients who presented to our tertiary care hospital in early 3 months of COVID-19 era(ECE) with respect to pre-COVID-19 era(PCE). The study includes patients discussed in multidisciplinary tumor board(MDT)(421 in ECE Vs 31 in PCE) and those who underwent surgery(192 in ECE Vs 26 in PCE). The presentation and outcomes of oral carcinoma were compared between the two eras. There was a significant drop in the number of patients who presented during ECE. Though mean age and gender remained comparable between groups, there was a statistical difference in relation to demographic profile of patient (p value < 0.001). Among operated during ECE, 80% had a significantly advanced tumor stage (p value < 0.034) and advanced composite stage (p value < 0.049). Among patients discussed in MDT during ECE, 38.7% were deemed inoperable which is double the number when compared with PCE (p value < 0.009). Results of our study showed a higher incidence of advanced stage disease during ECE, with many patient turning inoperable. Thus, the survival of newly diagnosed oral carcinoma patients will be worser. In the management of oral cancer both early stage and advanced stage should have the same priority. Immediate resumption of safe oncology services is mandatory to curtail the current issues.

Bilateral total conservative parotidectomy: a tale behind an aesthetic surgery.

Any facial swelling is associated with stress for the patient due to cosmesis. Especially when one has bilateral symmetrical enlarged parotids, having exhausted all available conservative management, surgery becomes the last resort; which in such cases pose specific challenges. A 29-year-old man presented with problems of bilateral symmetrical enlarged parotid lesion for 5 years, which did not have an adequate response to medical line of management. He underwent proposed surgery and was diagnosed to have chronic sclerosing parotitis (CSS). The challenges faced during surgery of this non-neoplastic inflammatory lesion, with significant fibrosis, is being described. He recovered completely without any complications related to surgery. CSS rarely affects bilateral parotid glands. Surgery, results of which are outstanding, must be considered in cases where these lesions do not respond to medical line of management. Bilateral total conservative parotidectomy with sternocleidomastoid flap reconstruction provides excellent aesthesis and improves quality of life.