Management of Parapharyngeal Space Tumors: Clinical Experience with a Large Sample and Review of the Literature.

Parapharyngeal space (PPS) tumors are rare, and they account for 0.5-1.5% of all head and neck tumors. This study summarized the findings of large-sample clinical studies of PPS tumors and reported the clinical work-up and management of 177 cases of PPS tumors at our center. This retrospective study included patients treated for PPS tumors between 2005 and 2020 at our center. The basic characteristics, symptoms, surgical approach, complications, and recurrence rates were analyzed. A total of 99 male and 78 female patients, with a mean age of 48.3 ± 15.1 years, were enrolled in this study. The most common symptoms were external or intraoral masses (114 patients, 64%). Surgical management leveraging, a cervical approach, was used for 131 cases (74%). The tumors were benign for 92% (160 cases), with pleomorphic adenoma being the most common (88 cases, 50%). Surgical complications were reported for 31 cases (18%); facial and vocal cord paralyses were the most common. Three cases of recurrence were observed during the follow-up. PPS tumors are rare and present with atypical clinical manifestations. The current study, which involved cases in a large single center, demonstrates the importance of surgical interventions for PPS tumors. The use of endoscopic techniques has further expanded the scope of traditional surgical approaches and demonstrated its advantages in selected cases.

Pescadillo ribosomal biogenesis factor 1 reduction suppresses tumour growth and renders chemosensitivity of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: As one of the most devastating cancers, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has a short survival time and poor prognosis. Pescadillo ribosomal biogenesis factor 1 (PES1) plays a critical role in the progression of numerous cancers. However, its role and underlying mechanisms in HNSCC remain unclear. METHODS: A variety of bioinformatic approaches were used to identify the expressions, prognostic and diagnostic value of PES1 in HNSCC. qRT-PCR, immunofluorescence (IF) assay, western blotting and immunohistochemical (IHC) were used to evaluate the expression of PES1 in HNSCC cell lines and clinical tissues. PES1 was knocked down in TU177 and FaDu cells which have high PES1 expression. The effects of PES1 on cell proliferation and tumour growth in HNSCC were elevated by colony formation, CCK8 assays and tumorigenicity assay in nude mice. The effects on cisplatin (CDDP) sensitivity upon silencing of PES1 were assessed using a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model. RESULTS: PES1 expression was an independent prognostic factor for HNSCC and negatively associated with the overall survival rate. Silencing of PES1 reduces HNSCC cell proliferation and tumour growth. Moreover, PES1 inhibition significantly sensitises HNSCC cells to cisplatin. Furthermore, we found a PES1 has a high correlation with c-Myc and plays an essential role in the tumour immune microenvironment. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that PES1 is associated with tumour growth and drug resistance and served as a potential cancer marker for diagnosis and a putative therapeutic target for HNSCC.

Global, regional, and national prevalence of hearing loss from 1990 to 2019: A trend and health inequality analyses based on the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

As a severe public health issue, hearing loss has caused an increasingly disease burden, especially in the elderly population. Hearing loss may inevitably induce asymmetric hearing, which makes it difficult for elderly individuals to locate sound sources, therefore resulting in increased postural instability and falling risk. To emphasize the public health emergence of hearing loss, we investigated the temporal trend of prevalence of hearing loss over the last 30 years and further predicted its changes in the next 20 years, decomposed the trend according to demographic factors and epidemiological changes, and quantified the cross-country healthy inequalities, using the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019. In 2019, there were more than 140 million cases of hearing loss worldwide, a 93.89% increase from 70 million cases in 1990. The age-standardized rate (ASR) also increased with an estimated annual percentage change of 0.08% per year. Population growth and aging are the major drivers contributing to the changes, accounting for 60.83% and 35.35%. Of note, the contribution of aging varies showing a gradual increasing trend with sociodemographic index (SDI) elevating. Also notable, there were significant health inequalities across 204 countries and territories, with slope index of inequality rising over time. Projection of the global burden of hearing loss from 2020 to 2040 indicated progressive increases in both case number and ASR. These reflect the heavy disease burden of hearing loss that needed more targeted and efficient strategies in its prevention and management.