Personalized ctDNA for Monitoring Disease Status in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Many patients with locoregionally advanced human papillomavirus-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) relapse. ctDNA has the potential to identify minimal residual disease, but its clinical utility for virus-negative HNSCC is not well understood. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We retrospectively evaluated a personalized, commercial ctDNA assay (Signatera, Natera) during clinical care of patients treated for predominantly newly diagnosed human papillomavirus-negative HNSCC. Signatera utilizes 16-plex PCR from matched tumor and blood. Objectives were to understand ctDNA detectability and correlate changes posttreatment with disease outcomes. RESULTS: Testing was successful in 100/116 (86%) patients (median age: 65 years, 68% male, 65% smokers); testing failed in 16 (14%) because of insufficient tissue. Oral cavity (55, 47%) tumors were most common; most had stage III to IV disease (82, 71%), whereas 17 (15%) had distant metastases. Pretreatment, 75/100 patients with successful testing (75%) had detectable ctDNA (range: 0.03-4049.69 mean tumor molecules/mL). No clinical features predicted ctDNA detectability or levels (multivariate analysis). At a median follow-up of 5.1 months (range: 0.2-15.1), 55 (55%) had >1 test result (range: 1-7; 194 samples). Of 55 patients, 17 (31%) remained ctDNA positive after starting treatment. Progression-free survival was significantly worse for patients who were ctDNA positive versus ctDNA negative posttreatment (HR, 7.33; 95% confidence interval, 3.12-17.2; P < 0.001); 1-year overall survival was 89.1% versus 100%, respectively (HR, 7.46; 95% confidence interval, 0.46-119.5; P = 0.155). CONCLUSIONS: Tumor-informed ctDNA testing is feasible in nonviral HNSCC. ctDNA positivity is an indicator of disease progression and associated with inferior survival. Further research is warranted to understand whether ctDNA may be leveraged to guide therapy in HNSCC.

Perspectives on Referral Pathways for Timely Head and Neck Cancer Care.

Importance: Timely diagnosis and treatment are of paramount importance for patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) because delays are associated with reduced survival rates and increased recurrence risk. Prompt referral to HNC specialists is crucial for the timeliness of care, yet the factors that affect the referral and triage pathway remain relatively unexplored. Therefore, to identify barriers and facilitators of timely care, it is important to understand the complex journey that patients undertake from the onset of HNC symptoms to referral for diagnosis and treatment. Objective: To investigate the referral and triage process for patients with HNC and identify barriers to and facilitators of care from the perspectives of patients and health care workers. Design, Participants, and Setting: This was a qualitative study using semistructured interviews of patients with HNC and health care workers who care for them. Participants were recruited from June 2022 to July 2023 from HNC clinics at 2 tertiary care academic medical centers in Boston, Massachusetts. Data were analyzed from July 2022 to December 2023. Main Outcomes and Measures: Themes identified from the perspectives of both patients and health care workers on factors that hinder or facilitate the HNC referral and triage process. Results: In total, 72 participants were interviewed including 42 patients with HNC (median [range] age, 60.5 [19.0-81.0] years; 27 [64%] females) and 30 health care workers (median [range] age, 38.5 [20.0-68.0] years; 23 [77%] females). Using thematic analysis, 4 major themes were identified: the HNC referral and triage pathway is fragmented; primary and dental care are critical for timely referrals; efficient interclinician coordination expedites care; and consistent patient-practitioner engagement alleviates patient fear. Conclusions and Relevance: These findings describe the complex HNC referral and triage pathway, emphasizing the critical role of initial symptom recognition, primary and dental care, patient information flow, and interclinician and patient-practitioner communication, all of which facilitate prompt HNC referrals.

Patient Experience of Head and Neck Surgery With Free Flap Reconstruction.

Importance: Major head and neck surgery with microvascular free tissue transfer reconstruction is complex, with considerable risk of morbidity. Little is known about patients' experiences, including decision-making prior to, and regret following, free flap surgery. Objective: To characterize patient experiences and decision regret of patients undergoing head and neck reconstructive free flap surgery. Design, Setting, and Participants: This mixed-methods cohort study comprising semistructured interviews was conducted June to August 2021 at a single tertiary academic cancer center. Participants underwent head and neck reconstructive surgery with microvascular free tissue transfer (flap) more than 3 months before recruitment (range, 3 months to 4 years). Interview transcripts were qualitatively analyzed for themes. Participants also completed a Decision Regret Scale questionnaire. Exposure: Microvascular free flap surgery for head and neck reconstruction. Main Outcomes and Measures: Thematic analysis of interviews, decision regret score. Results: Seventeen participants were interviewed. Median (IQR) age was 61 (52-70) years. Overall, 7 participants were women (49%), and 10 of 17 were men (59%). The most common free flap was fibula (8/17, 47%). Three major themes with 9 subthemes were identified: theme 1 was the tremendous effect of preoperative counseling on surgical decision-making and satisfaction, with subthemes including (1) importance of clinical care team counseling on decision to have surgery; (2) emotional context colors preoperative understanding and retention of information; (3) expectation-setting affects satisfaction with preoperative counseling; and (4) desire for diversified delivery of preoperative information. Theme 2 was coexisting and often conflicting priorities, including (1) desire to survive above all else, and (2) desire for quality of life. Theme 3 was perception of surgery as momentous and distressing, including (1) surgery as a traumatic event; (2) centrality of mental health, emotional resolve, and gratitude to enduring surgery and recovery; and (3) sense of accomplishment in recovery. On the Decision Regret Scale, most participants had no regret (n = 8, 47%) or mild regret (n = 5, 29%); 4 had moderate-to-severe regret (24%). Conclusions and Relevance: In this mixed-methods cohort study, patient experiences surrounding major head and neck reconstructive free flap surgery were described. Opportunities to improve support for this complex and vulnerable population, and to mitigate decision regret, were identified.

Primary Classic Kaposi Sarcoma of the Parotid Gland in an HIV-Negative Patient.

This case report describes an HIV-negative man in his 60s of Mediterranean descent with hypertension, Hashimoto thyroiditis, nephrolithiasis, and gout who presented with a lump on the right side of his face and was subsequently diagnosed with Kaposi sarcoma.