No COVID-19 in Patients With Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSNHL).

BACKGROUND: Various case reports have described sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) in patients with the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Our aim was to determine the incidence of COVID-19 in patients with SSNHL. METHODS: All consecutive patients with audiometric confirmed SSNHL between November 2020 and March 2021 in a Dutch large inner city teaching hospital were included. All patients were tested for COVID-19 by polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR) and awaited the results in quarantine. RESULTS: Out of 25 patients, zero (0%) tested positive for COVID-19. Two patients had previously tested positive for COVID-19: at three and eight months prior to the onset of hearing loss. CONCLUSIONS: This is the largest series to date investigating COVID-19 in SSNHL patients. In this series there is no apparent relationship between SSNHL and COVID-19.

mTHPC mediated interstitial photodynamic therapy of recurrent nonmetastatic base of tongue cancers: Development of a new method.

BACKGROUND: Interstitial photodynamic therapy (iPDT) can be an option in the management of locally recurrent base of tongue cancer after (chemo)radiation treatment. The purpose of the current study was to develop a technique to implant light sources into the tumor tissue. METHODS: Twenty patients with previously irradiated locally recurrent base of tongue cancers who were not candidates for salvage surgery or reirradiation or refused these therapies were included in this study. The treatment planning was done on MRI. The light sources were implanted using modified brachytherapy techniques. RESULTS: The iPDT could be conducted in all patients without short-term complications. At 6 months, 9 patients had complete response with 4 patients still free of disease (46-80 months). Long-term complications included pharyngocutaneous fistula in 6 patients, serious bleeding in 1 patient, and cutaneous metastasis in 2 patients. CONCLUSION: The initial results are encouraging. There is room for improvement to control the destructive potential of iPDT through planning and monitoring tools.

Photodynamic therapy in the therapy for recurrent/persistent nasopharyngeal cancer.

To determine the efficacy of Photodynamic therapy of patients with recurrent Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma we reviewed all available literature. Since the treatment options for recurrent or persistent Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma are limited, the survival rates poor and the complications severe; there is definitely a place for alternative treatment modalities with more efficacy and less morbidity. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has the potential to be a very effective local treatment modality for recurrent or persistent nasopharyngeal cancer, without the severe side effects seen with re-irradiation. This review shows all reported results of Photodynamic therapy in the treatment for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

Is photodynamic therapy a good alternative to surgery and radiotherapy in the treatment of head and neck cancer?

The mainstay treatments for head and neck carcinomas are surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. These treatment options may be associated with considerable complications. Radical radiotherapy and chemotherapy can generally be employed only once, which presents difficulties in cases of recurrent disease or second primaries within the irradiated field. Salvage surgery at the same site is often difficult, due to progressive tissue loss. In this respect photodynamic therapy (PDT) seems to be a good alternative treatment option for small, localized tumors; with a good outcome and with excellent functional and cosmetic results. Selected patients with advanced cancer of the head and neck, who have exhausted other treatment options, can also achieve improvement in quality of life with PDT. The advantages of PDT compared with surgery or radiotherapy are reduced long-term morbidity and the fact that PDT does not compromise future treatment options for recurrent, residual or second primary disease.