Head and neck cancers, Version 2.2014. Clinical practice guidelines in oncology.

This selection from the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines) for Head and Neck Cancers focuses on glottic laryngeal cancer, which is the most common type of laryngeal cancer and has an excellent cure rate. The lymphatic drainage of the glottis is sparse, and early stage primaries rarely spread to regional nodes. Because hoarseness is an early symptom, most glottic laryngeal cancer is early stage at diagnosis. Updates to these guidelines for 2014 include revisions to "Principles of Radiation Therapy" for each site and "Principles of Surgery," and the addition of a new section on "Principles of Dental Evaluation and Management."

Pediatric mandibular reconstruction following resection of oral squamous cell carcinoma: a case report.

PURPOSE: Squamous cell carcinoma is a common entity among adult head and neck cancer patients, with many requiring reconstruction post resection. Conversely, this entity is rare among children with major reconstruction even more unique. This case and the concomitant review of literature highlight the intricacies of pediatric facial reconstruction. METHODS: The case described is of a 6-year-old African-American boy with poor dentition and a painful, 1.5 cm epiphytic lesion on the alveolar ridge of the left mandible. Incisional biopsy and computerized tomography were employed to obtain diagnosis and extent of disease. Surgical resection and reconstruction followed. RESULTS: Incisional biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma. Maxillofacial computerized tomography confirmed the extent of the mandibular lesion. After interdisciplinary discussion and weighing options with the family, a segmental mandibulectomy, neck dissection, and right fibula free flap reconstruction with titanium 2.0 mm metal plate fixation was performed. Re-examination post-operatively showed complete coverage of the defect and the ability to restore excised dentition. CONCLUSION: Squamous cell carcinoma within the pediatric population occurs less often than sarcomas, but may necessitate major reconstruction. Without rigid reconstruction, contracture may result. The current consensus favors microvascular bone reconstruction. However, a lack of consensus exists regarding the timing of dental rehabilitation.

Oral cancer: enduring characteristics and emerging trends.

Oral cancer is arguably the most serious condition that dental providers may encounter in their practice. The relatively poor prognosis associated with oral cancer highlights the importance of the dental team's awareness of the disease. While many characteristics of oral cancer have endured over time, new research is revealing trends that are changing the way we approach its screening, diagnosis and treatment. In this report, we provide a translational overview of oral cancer, including risk factors, signs and symptoms, clinical management, as well as our recent findings on the role of chronic inflammation in the development of the disease. In addition, our recent genetic profiling approach in both cancer cell lines and in patients has identified potential biomarkers, molecular pathways and therapeutic drugs for oral squamous cell carcinomas. This comprehensive review should be of interest to all dental professionals.

Oral cancer: enduring characteristics and emerging trends.

Oral cancer is arguably the most serious condition that dental providers may encounter in their practice. The relatively poor prognosis associated with oral cancer highlights the importance of the dental team's awareness of the disease. While many characteristics of oral cancer have endured over time, new research is revealing trends that are changing the way we approach its screening, diagnosis and treatment. In this report, we provide a translational overview of oral cancer, including risk factors, signs and symptoms, clinical management, as well as our recent findings on the role of chronic inflammation in the development of the disease. In addition, our recent genetic profiling approach in both cancer cell lines and in patients has identified potential biomarkers, molecular pathways and therapeutic drugs (Velcade and Aspirin) for oral squamous cell carcinomas. This comprehensive review should be of interest to all dental professionals.

Association of Airway Complications With Free Tissue Transfer to the Upper Aerodigestive Tract With or Without Tracheotomy.

Importance: Airway management during microvascular reconstruction of the upper aerodigestive tract is of utmost importance; however, there is considerable debate about optimal management of the airway. Objective: To examine if free tissue transfer to the upper aerodigestive tract without tracheotomy was associated with an increased rate of airway complications or death. Design, Setting, and Participants: Cohort study of 861 patients undergoing microvascular reconstruction to sites in the oral cavity, oropharynx (excluding the base of tongue), and nasal and/or sinus cavity using data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program from 2005 to 2013. We compared the rate of airway-specific complications of patients who underwent simultaneous tracheotomy vs those who did not undergo tracheotomy. Exposure: Tracheotomy. Main Outcomes and Measures: The 30-day rate of airway-specific complications, including unplanned intubation, prolonged mechanical ventilation, or death. Results: Among the 861 patients included in this study (mean age 61 years and 63.3% male), 551 underwent tracheotomy and 310 did not undergo tracheotomy. The rate of tracheotomy based on anatomic site was 66.1% for oral cavity (n = 728), 40.5% for nasal/sinus cavity (n = 85), and 70.3% for oropharynx (n = 48). The difference in the overall rate of airway complications between patients in the no-tracheotomy (10.3%) and tracheotomy (8.3%) groups was 2.0% (95% CI, 1.9%-6.4%). There were no significant differences in the rate of airway complications in the no-tracheotomy and tracheotomy groups for death (0.3% vs 0.7%, respectively; difference, 0.3%; 95% CI, -2.0% to 3.2%), unplanned intubation (3.2% vs 2.9%, respectively; difference, 0.3%; 95% CI, -2.0% to 3.2%) or for prolonged mechanical ventilation (8.1% vs 7.3%; difference, 0.8%; 95% CI, -2.7% to 4.8%). On multivariate analysis tracheotomy was not associated with the primary outcome (odds ratio [OR], 0.8; 95% CI, 0.5-1.3); however, preoperative bleeding disorder (OR, 9.0; 95% CI, 3.3-24.4), preoperative dyspnea (OR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.5-5.5), and resection of the floor of mouth (OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.1-3.9) were associated with airway complications or death. Conclusions and Relevance: Free tissue transfer to the upper aerodigestive tract is frequently performed without tracheotomy, and this is not associated with a significantly increased rate of airway complications. Routine tracheotomy may be safely avoided in a subset of patients undergoing microvascular reconstruction of the upper aerodigestive tract.

Presurgical cytoreduction of oral cancer using intra-arterial cisplatin and limited concomitant radiation therapy (Neo-RADPLAT).

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of a cytoreduction strategy for oral cancer using a novel trimodal therapy. METHODS: Prospective analysis of 25 patients treated between October 1995 and June 2000 with a protocol named neo-RADPLAT consisting of 4 weekly intra-arterial infusions of cisplatin (150 mg/m2) and intravenous infusions of sodium thiosulfate (9 g/m2), and concurrent radiation therapy (2 daily doses of 50 Gy) followed by tumor nidusectomy (a conventional surgery) at 8 weeks. Five patients had T2 lesions and 20 patients had T3 lesions; the clinical neck cancer stages were N0 in 12 patients, N1 in 9, and N2 in 4 (2 N2a, 1 N2b, and 1 Nc); and there were 17 tumors of the oral cavity (11 of the oral tongue, 5 of the retromolar trigone, and 1 of the floor of mouth) and 8 of the oropharynx (4 of the tonsillar fossa, 3 of the base of tongue, and 1 of the soft palate). RESULTS: Twenty patients (80%) had a complete response to chemoradiation in the primary site and 11 (79%) had a complete response in the neck. Among the 19 patients who had a tumor nidusectomy after chemoradiation, 5 had residual cancer and required a conventional resection. With regard to major toxicity, there were 6 cases of grade 3 and 1 case of grade 4 hematologic effects, 1 case of grade 3 neurologic effect, 1 case of grade 3 gastrointestinal effect, 1 case of grade 5 cardiac effect, as well as 16 cases of grade 3 mucositis. With a median follow-up of 56 months (range, 28-84 months), the 5-year estimates for overall survival, disease-specific survival, and locoregional control were 54%, 64%, and 74%, respectively. Fourteen patients remain without disease, 6 have died of the disease, and 5 have died of other causes. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative intra-arterial chemoradiation cytoreduction followed by limited surgery is effective for controlling oral cancer. This tissue-sparing and reduced-radiation strategy may also preserve oral function.

Incidence and risk factors of bisphosphonate-associated osteonecrosis of the jaws.

BACKGROUND: Intravenous bisphosphonate therapy has been used for treatment of benign and malignant bone diseases and has been linked to osteonecrosis of the jaws. METHODS: Records of 638 patients treated with intravenous bisphosphonates were reviewed. Drug used, number of infusions, dosing interval, dosage, duration, and occasion of osteonecrosis, diagnosed by history and physical examination, were analyzed. RESULTS: The overall incidence of osteonecrosis was 0.94% (6/638). No significant relationship was observed between the incidence of osteonecrosis and demographic parameters, primary tumor, cumulative drug dose, or dosing interval. However, patients who developed osteonecrosis had a significantly greater mean number of infusions (p = .016) and significantly greater mean hours of infusion time (p = .0036). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest positive correlation between the development of osteonecrosis and drug exposure as measured by number of infusions and total infusion hours. However, the relatively low incidence of osteonecrosis precluded definition of a direct dose-response relationship.