Jejunal and ileocolic free flaps for digestive tract reconstruction following pharyngo-laryngo-oesophagectomy - 30 years of single-centre experience.

INTRODUCTION: Hypopharyngeal cancer accounts for 3-5% of all squamous-cell carcinoma (SCC) of the head and neck and has one of the worst prognoses. The aim of the study was to evaluate oncologic and functional treatment outcomes in patients with T3-T4a squamous cell hypopharyngeal and laryngeal cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of the material from one treatment site included 90 patients (81 male, 9 female) who had undergone surgery between 1986 and 2010. Their mean age was 55.06 years (range 36-75). RESULTS: TNM (T - tumour, N - node, M - metastasis) staging assessment was feasible in 70 treatment-naïve patients (77.78%): 57 (63.33%) were classified to stage T4a, and 13 were classified to T3 (14.44%). Cervical lymphadenopathy was observed in 53 (63.3%) patients; in 44 patients (48.89%) postoperative histopathology confirmed metastatic disease. G2 or G3 SCC was detected in 80% of patients. All patients underwent laryngopharyngoesophagectomy (LPE). Digestive tract reconstruction was performed using one of two methods: jejunal autograft (JA) in 79 patients (87.78 %) - Group A or ileocolic autograft (IA) in 11 patients (12.22%) - Group B. Comparative statistical analysis of both groups showed statistically significant differences only for substitute speech production. The mean survival time of patients from both groups was 2.21 years after reconstruction surgery. CONCLUSIONS: JA or IA for digestive tract reconstruction in patients after LPE are burdened with high risk of complications but offer patients the chance of a normal oral diet shortly after surgery. Ileocolic autograft enables rapid production of substitute speech.

The Clinical and Surgical Characteristics of Parotid Tumors with Parapharyngeal Space Involvement-A Multicenter Experience of the Polish Salivary Network.

Backgrounds/Objectives: Parotid gland tumors (PGTs) with parapharyngeal space (PPS) involvement have a specific clinical course and they can be a great challenge for surgeons, especially due to more difficult approaches and the risk of serious complications. The aim of this study is to present the characteristics of PGTs with PPS involvement. Methods: Retrospective, multicenter analysis of 1954 primary PGTs from 5 years (2017-2021) was performed. Comparative analysis was performed between groups with and without PPS involvement and included the following clinical and histopathological data: age, sex, place of residence, tumor size, FNAC result, percentage of malignant tumors, histological diagnosis, radicality of resection, and postoperative facial nerve (FN) dysfunction. Results: PPS involvement was found in 114 patients (5.83%). Secondary tumors affecting the deep lobe or the entire gland were predominant (46 and 60 cases, respectively). In a univariate analysis of tumors with and without PPS involvement, statistically significant differences were found in their size > 4 cm (12.97% vs. 37.72%), percentage of malignant tumors (7.12% vs. 17.55%), incidence of Warthin Tumors (WTs) (43.58% vs. 24.56%), percentage of R1 resection (5.53% vs. 12.50%), and rate of FN paresis (17.15% vs. 53.34%). Multivariate analysis showed that tumors with PPS involvement were statistically significantly characterized by larger size (tumors > 4 cm were 2.9 times more frequent), 2 times less frequent occurrence of WTs, and 1.6 times higher risk of FN paresis. Conclusion: PGTs with PPS involvement show certain clinical and histological differences and require more complex surgical accesses. Therefore, they cannot be treated as "ordinary" tumors occupying the deep lobe.

Rationale for Increasing Oncological Vigilance in Relation to Clinical Findings in Accessory Parotid Gland-Observations Based on 2192 Cases of the Polish Salivary Network Database.

The accessory parotid gland (APG, Vth level) differs in histological structure from main parotid tissue. This gives rise to the hypothesis, mirrored in clinical observations, that the representation of tumours is different than in the rest of the gland. The aim of the study was to analyse the epidemiological and histological differences of parotid tumours located in regions I-V, with particular emphasis on the distinctiveness of region V. To define the epidemiological factors that will indicate the risk of histological malignancy from clinically benign appearance, multicentre prospective studies conducted between 2017-2021 by five Head and Neck Surgery University Departments, cooperating within the Polish Salivary Network Database 1929 patients (1048 women and 881 men), were included. The age, gender, patient occupation, place of inhabitation, tumour size, clinical features of malignancy, histology, and facial nerve (FN) paresis were analysed for superficial (I_II) and deep (III_IV) lobes and with special regard to the tumours affecting region V. Twenty eight tumours were located exclusively in region V (1.45% total) and seventy-two tumours were found in region V exhibiting extensions to neighbouring regions (3.7% total), characterised as significantly younger and less frequent in retirees. In I-IV regions, approximately 90% of tumours were benign, with pleomorphic adenoma (PA) and Whartin tumour (WT) predominance. In region V, PA exceeded 75% but WT were casuistic (2/28). Incidences of malignancies in region V was 40% but clinical signs of malignancy were evident only in tumours > 4 cm or in the presence of FN paresis. In 19% of patients with a benign appearance, imaging revealed malignancy; however, 38% of patients showed false negative results both in terms of clinical and radiological features of malignancy. Logistic regression models in 28 patients with tumours located exclusively in region V vs. 1901 other patients and in 100 patients with V extension vs. 1829 other patients showed no clinical symptoms of malignancy binding with final malignant tumour histology as a single variable or in combination with other variables. The logistic regression models obtained in this study show strong linkage between tumour location and predictors (age, male gender, and tumour diameter) and also aimed to function as a good classifier. Our conclusion is that, despite the very clear image of the mid-cheek tumour which is easily accessible in palpation and ultrasound examination, it is necessary to improve oncological vigilance and preoperative patient preparation.

Gender-related incidence, risk factors exposure and survival rates of laryngeal cancers - the 10-years analysis of trends from one institution.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was the analysis of the epidemiology of laryngeal cancer over 10 years in relation to known risk factors and to assess the current survival rates in this group of patients. METHODS: The data were retrospectively collected from patients' medical records, then entered in the database using dedicated software and a statistical analysis was performed. RESULTS: 512 subjects - 443 men (86.5%) and 69 women (13.5%) were enrolled into the study. The male-to-female ratio was 6.4:1. There were 97.1% smoking women and 98% smoking men, however the history of more than 20 cigarettes per day smoking admitted 81.1 % of women and 94.6% of men. Heavy alcohol consumption was the case in 14 (20.3%) women and in 307 (69.3%) men. For both the size of heavy alcohol consumption and the size of excessive tobacco use, there was found statistically significant difference between women and men with laryngeal cancer (p<0.05). In the majority of male and female subjects, the tumour was located in the supraglottis/glottis area. Apparently this tumour location was much more common among women, accounting for 60.9% of cases , while in men was confirmed in 39.3% of cases. The stages of the laryngeal cancer were similarly of high advancement for both the men and women - stages III and IV were confirmed in 82.6% of women and in 77.6% of men. The over 5-year survival rate was 39.1% among women and 37.2% among men. Conclusions Contradictory to decreased exposure to risk factors and the shorter period for diagnosis, the higher stages of cancer were observed in women. Although in women the advancement was higher and the majority of cases were located in unfavourable supraglottic area, the survival rates were higher. Key words: laryngeal cancer, epidemiology, men and women, risk factors.

[Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the head and neck--a 10 years experience]. / Rak gruczolowato-torbielowaty glowy i szyi--doswiadczenie 10 lat.

INTRODUCTION: Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) was first described in 1853 and 1854 by three french scientists, Robin, Lorain and Laboulbène. ACC is a rare cancer of the head and neck (about 1%) and it comprises from 6% to 10% of all malignant tumors of the salivary glands. 15%­30% of these tumors are located in submandibular gland, 30% occur in small salivary glands (in the palate, tongue, mouth, nose, sinuses, mucous membrane of the cheeks) and about 6% in parotid gland. Because of its specificity ACC is a challenge for the doctor ­ it is usually recognized at an advanced stage, spreads along the nerves, it has a high propensity for recurrence, often gives distant metastases, 10-year survival are very small. AIMS: Aim of this study is the epidemiological and clinical analysis of patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Includes a retrospective analysis of 21 cases of patients with ACC of the head and neck were hospitalized at the ENT Clinic of the Warsaw Medical University between 2001 and 2011. Data from medical records contain information about the location of the tumor, symptoms and clinical signs, diagnostic methods, method of treatment and local recurrences and distant metastases. RESULTS: most cases ACC occurred in the large salivary glands (14 cases), in 5 cases in the nasal cavity and maxillofacial region, in 2 cases in the tongue. In order to accurately determine the extent of the tumor, its relationship to adjacent structures was performed computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Most of patients before treatment have been made biopsy of the tumor or download tissues by forceps for histopathological examination. Reported symptoms depend on the location of the tumor. In 20 cases the patients were treated by surgical therapy and followed by radiotherapy, in one case because of the extent of the tumor was sent to radiotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical treatment of ACC requires a wide margin of healthy tissues; For the risk of local recurrences affected positive surgical margins, skull base locations of primary tumor and perineural invasion; Because of unpredictable nature of the tumor (local recurrences, distant metastasis), observation of patients after treatment should be carried out permanently, along with periodic imaging studies.