Exploring cytologic features and potential diagnostic challenges of metastatic NUT carcinoma to the parotid gland: A case report and a comprehensive literature review.

NUT carcinoma (NC) is a highly aggressive, poorly differentiated carcinoma that harbors a t(15:19) translocation, leading to the fusion of the NUTM1 gene. While the upper aerodigestive tract along the midline (head, neck, thorax, and mediastinum) is commonly reported as the primary site of NC, subsequent cases have emerged in diverse locations. Achieving a definitive diagnosis based solely on morphology is challenging; however, it can be achieved using immunohistochemistry (IHC) specific to the NUT antibody or by demonstrating the characteristic BRD4::NUTM1 fusion. Accurate and timely diagnosis can potentially inform patient management and guide treatment. While histologic documentation of NC is commonly found, there is a limited description of its cytologic features. A 39-year-old male with a history of sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) presented with a right parotid mass aspirated via fine needle aspiration cytology (FNA). Histologic examination of the previous sinonasal pathology reviewed at our institution revealed sheets of primitive-appearing, monotonous, undifferentiated cells with distinct, prominent nucleoli. Additionally, there were foci of abrupt keratinization, accompanied by a notable neutrophilic infiltrate. The initial diagnosis of SCC was reclassified to NC and confirmed through NUT IHC and molecular testing. Although the parotid FNA initially suggested the possibility of a variety of small round blue cell tumors, it exhibited morphological similarities to the sinonasal tumor, leading to the diagnosis of metastatic NC. Cytomorphologic features of NC are limited and can overlap with various small round blue cell tumors. Correct classification is especially pivotal in the era of targeted therapy, considering the ongoing development and evaluation of BET inhibitors targeting BRD4.

Poorly differentiated thyroid carcinomas: conceptual controversy and clinical impact.

Poorly differentiated thyroid carcinomas (PDTC) are rare diseases; nevertheless, they account for the majority of deaths from non-anaplastic follicular cell-derived thyroid carcinomas. Establishing the diagnosis and treatment of PDTC is challenging given the low incidence and the lack of standardization of diagnostic criteria. These limitations hamper the ability to compare therapeutic modalities and outcomes between recent and older studies. Recently, the 5th edition of the classification of endocrine tumors has been published, which includes changes in nomenclature and the addition of the disease entity of "differentiated high-grade follicular cell-derived carcinomas". On the other hand, the recently witnessed advances in molecular diagnostics have enriched therapeutic options and improved prognosis for patients. We herein review the various historical variations and evolution in the diagnostic criteria for PDTC. This systematic review attempts to clarify the evolution of the histological and molecular characteristics of this disease, its prognosis, as well as its treatment options.

Primary Site Surgery in Distantly Metastatic Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: Determine if intensive local therapy (i.e., local surgery or radiation) has a survival benefit for patients presenting with distantly metastatic oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). METHODS: Retrospective population-based cohort study of patients in the National Cancer Database presenting with distantly metastatic OPSCC. Overall survival (OS) was compared for patients receiving systemic therapy alone or in combination with local surgery or curative dose radiation, controlling for various clinicodemographic factors. RESULTS: Between 2010 and 2015, 627 patients presented with newly diagnosed, metastatic OPSCC and an initial treatment course including systemic chemotherapy. Multivariable analysis demonstrated that local radiation therapy was independently associated with improved OS (OR 0.64, CI [0.51-0.81]); local surgery was not independently associated with improved OS (OR 0.99, CI [0.65-1.53]). Higher T stages were associated with worse OS (OR 1.69, CI [1.14-2.50] for T3 and OR 1.77, CI [1.22-2.58] for T4 compared to T1). HPV-positive (HPV+) tumors were associated with improved OS compared to HPV- (OR 0.79, CI [0.64-0.97]). Multiagent chemotherapy was associated with improved OS compared to single-agent (OR 0.78, CI [0.62-1.00]). The best survival for the entire cohort and for HPV+ patients was for radiation with systemic therapy and the worst survival for systemic therapy alone. CONCLUSIONS: Curative dose local radiotherapy in addition to systemic therapy is associated with improved OS compared to systemic therapy alone in patients presenting with distantly metastatic OPSCC. There is not a significant survival benefit for local surgery in addition to systemic therapy in this patient population, regardless of HPV status. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 Laryngoscope, 134:2243-2251, 2024.

A Meta-analysis of Surgical Outcomes of T4a and Infranotch T4b Oral Cancers.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the overall surgical outcomes of infranotch T4b oral cancers and compare them with T4a oral cancers. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane databases from 2000 to 2022 were systematically searched. Clinical studies reporting at least one outcome following curative surgery and adjuvant therapy for comparison of patients with either infranotch T4b (IN-T4b) or T4a tumour. The heterogeneity of the included studies was determined using Tau-squared, Chi-squared, and the Higgins I2 test. The random effects model was used to determine the log odds ratio (logOR). RESULTS: The systematic review comprised 11,790 patients from 16 included studies. Seven studies were included in the meta-analysis (n = 11,381). For IN-T4b patients, the pooled 2 and 5 year overall survival (OS) were 59.3% and 53.2%, 2 and 5 year disease-free survival (DFS) 57.9% and 48.4%, 2 and 5 year disease-specific survival (DSS) 72% and 68%, and 2 and 5 year local control (LC), 47% and 56%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in 2 year OS [logOR = 0.28 (-0.47, 1.03), p = 0.46, confidence interval (CI) = 95%], 5 year OS [logOR = 0.7 (-0.4, 1.8), p = 0.54, CI = 95%], 2 year DFS [logOR = 0.22 (-0.35, 0.79), p = 0.45, CI = 95%], 5 year DFS [logOR = 0.17 (-0.42, 0.77), p = 0.57, CI = 95%], 2 year LC [logOR = 0.47 (-0.33, 1.26), p = 0.25, CI = 95%] and 5 year LC [logOR = 0.34 (-0.31, 0.99), p = 0.31, CI = 95%] between IN-T4b and T4a oral cancers. CONCLUSION: Results of this meta-analysis suggest that IN-T4b oral cancers have similar outcomes to T4a oral cancers, which supports down-staging IN-T4b cancers to T4a cancers.

Mesenchymal Neoplasms of Salivary Glands: A Clinicopathologic Study of 68 Cases.

Salivary gland neoplasms are uncommon, and most exhibit epithelial differentiation. Mesenchymal neoplasms of the salivary gland are rare, and the incidence ranges from 1.9% to 5%. The aim of this study is to identify the types and clinical-pathological features of mesenchymal salivary neoplasm and review their differential diagnosis. A retrospective search for mesenchymal neoplasms of salivary glands from our institution's pathology archives from the 2004-2021 period and consultation files of one of the authors (AER) was performed. The clinical data were obtained from available medical records, and the histological slides and ancillary studies were retrieved and reviewed. We identified a total of 68 cases that form the study cohort. Thirty-five patients were male, and thirty-three patients were female, with a mean age of 48 years (range, 7 months-79 years), and the male to female ratio was 1:.94. Sixty-three (92.6%) of sixty-eight tumors were benign and included: 38 (56%) lipomas, 9 (13%) hemangiomas, 7 (10.3%) schwannomas, 3 (4.4%) neurofibromas, 3 (4.4%) lymphangioma, 2 (3%) solitary fibrous tumors, 1 (1.5%) myofibroma. Five of sixty-eight (7.4%) were malignant and included: 3 (4.4%) Adamantinoma-like Ewing sarcomas, 1 (1.5%) malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST), and 1 (1.5%) malignant solitary fibrous tumor. The involved sites included: parotid (55), submandibular gland (5), parapharyngeal space (5), buccal mucosa minor salivary gland (2), and sublingual gland (1). Sixty-seven patients underwent surgical resection. One patient with lymphangioma manifested a recurrence/persistence a week post-surgery. One patient with a parotid hemangioma developed post-operative numbness, and another patient developed chronic postauricular pain after surgery. Two patients with MPNST and one patient with adamantinoma-like Ewing sarcoma underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiation and were disease-free after treatment. The remaining 37 patients with available follow-up ranging from 7 days to 96 months (mean, 18 months) had a favorable outcome and were disease-free after treatment. Mesenchymal neoplasms of salivary gland are rare; most are benign and demonstrate adipocytic, endothelial, and schwannian differentiation; awareness of their development is important for adequate diagnosis. The mainstay of treatment is surgical excision, with the extent determined by tumor type. Adjuvant therapy is reserved for high-grade sarcomas and may be given in a neoadjuvant or adjuvant setting.

Primary Sarcomas of the Larynx: A Clinicopathologic Study of 27 Cases.

Primary sarcomas of the larynx are rare and are associated with diagnostic and treatment challenges. Studies of these tumors are limited, and most examples have been reported as small series. To further increase our understanding of laryngeal sarcomas, we reviewed our experience of an adult cohort. A retrospective search for laryngeal sarcomas from our pathology archives and consultation files of one of the authors was performed. We studied 27 primary laryngeal sarcomas that included 25 males, and 2 females, with a mean age of 60 years (range 33-85). The cases included conventional chondrosarcoma (16), well-differentiated liposarcoma (2), clear cell chondrosarcoma (1), leiomyosarcoma (2), high grade myxofibrosarcoma (2), high grade myofibroblastic sarcoma (1), low-grade myofibroblastic sarcoma (1), malignant granular cell tumor (1), and Kaposi sarcoma (1). Data on treatment and follow-up was available in 17 and 16 cases, respectively. 12 patients underwent partial laryngeal resection; five had total laryngectomy, and the patient with Kaposi sarcoma received combined highly active antiretroviral therapy and chemotherapy. Three patients developed local recurrence, and two patients developed metastases. The remaining patients with follow up had a favorable outcome and were disease-free after treatment. The important differential diagnosis of spindle cell sarcoma is sarcomatoid squamous cell carcinoma, and their distinction often requires extensive sampling of the mucosal surface and immunohistochemical analysis. The mainstay of treatment for laryngeal sarcomas is surgical removal, with the extent dictated by tumor type and grade. Adjuvant therapy is reserved for high-grade sarcomas and may be given in a neoadjuvant or adjuvant setting.

What is the role of sentinel lymph node biopsy in the management of oral cancer in 2020?

Approximately 70-80% of patients with cT1-2N0 oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) ultimately prove to have no cancer in the cervical lymphatics on final pathology after selective neck dissection. As a result, sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has been adopted during the last decade as a diagnostic staging method to intelligently identify patients who would benefit from formal selective lymphadenectomy or neck irradiation. While not yet universally accepted, SLNB is now incorporated in many national guidelines. SLNB offers a less invasive alternative to elective neck dissection (END), and has some advantages and disadvantages. SLNB can assess the individual drainage pattern and, with step serial sectioning and immunohistochemistry (IHC), can enable the accurate detection of micrometastases and isolated tumor cells (ITCs). Staging of the neck is improved relative to END with routine histopathological examination. The improvements in staging are particularly notable for the contralateral neck and the pretreated neck. However, for floor of mouth (FOM) tumors, occult metastases are frequently missed by SLNB due to the proximity of activity from the primary site to the lymphatics (the shine through phenomenon). For FOM cancers, it is advised to perform either elective neck dissection or superselective neck dissection of the preglandular triangle of level I. New tracers and techniques under development may improve the diagnostic accuracy of SLNB for early-stage OSCC, particularly for FOM tumors. Treatment of the neck (either neck dissection or radiotherapy), although limited to levels I-IV, remains mandatory for any positive category of metastasis (macrometastasis, micrometastasis, or ITCs). Recently, the updated EANM practical guidelines for SLN localization in OSCC and the surgical consensus guidelines on SLNB in patients with OSCC were published. In this review, the current evidence and results of SLNB in early OSCC are presented.

Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma to the Cervical Lymph Nodes From an Unknown Primary Cancer: Management in the HPV Era.

BACKGROUND: Patients with metastases in the lymph nodes of the neck and no obvious primary tumor, neck cancer with unknown primary (NCUP), represent a management challenge. A majority of patients have metastatic squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), although other histologies do occur. METHODS: We comprehensively reviewed the literature, compared available guidelines, and conferred with an international team of experts. RESULTS: Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) and fine needle aspiration (FNA) under ultrasound guidance increase accuracy of diagnosis. Immunohistochemistry (IHC), determination of human papilloma virus (HPV) status, by p16 staining or by in situ hybridization (ISH), and next-generation gene sequencing can guide us regarding probable primary sites and tumor biology. Narrow Band Imaging (NBI) has been introduced for the early detection of subtle mucosal lesions. Direct laryngoscopy (DL) and tonsillectomy have long been procedures used in the search for a primary site. More recently, TransOral Robotic Surgery (TORS) or Transoral LASER Microsurgery (TLM) have been introduced for lingual tonsillectomy. CONCLUSIONS: New technologies have been developed which can better detect, diagnose, and treat occult primary tumors. Decisions regarding therapy are based on the primary tumor site (if discovered) and N stage. Options include neck dissection with or without postoperative adjuvant therapy, primary irradiation, or combined chemotherapy with irradiation. The preferred treatment of patients whose primary remains unidentified is controversial.

Management of the Neck in Well-Differentiated Thyroid Cancer.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: In this narrative review, we discuss the indications for elective and therapeutic neck dissections and the postoperative surveillance and treatment options for recurrent nodal disease in patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancer. RECENT FINDINGS: Increased availability of advanced imaging modalities has led to an increased detection rate of previously occult nodal disease in thyroid cancer. Nodal metastases are more common in young patients, large primary tumors, specific genotypes, and certain histological types. While clinically evident nodal disease in the lateral neck compartments has a significant oncological impact, particularly in the older age group, microscopic metastases to the central or the lateral neck in well-differentiated thyroid cancer do not significantly affect outcome. As patients with clinically evident nodal disease are associated with worse outcomes, they should be treated surgically in order to reduce rates of regional recurrence and improve survival. The benefit of elective neck dissection remains unverified as the impact of microscopic disease on outcomes is not significant.

False-positive reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction screening for SARS-CoV-2 in the setting of urgent head and neck surgery and otolaryngologic emergencies during the pandemic: Clinical implications.

BACKGROUND: No reports describe falsepositive reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for novel coronavirus in preoperative screening. METHODS: Preoperative patients had one or two nasopharyngeal swabs, depending on low or high risk of viral transmission. Positive tests were repeated. RESULTS: Forty-three of 52 patients required two or more preoperative tests. Four (9.3%) had discrepant results (positive/negative). One of these left the coronavirus disease (COVID) unit against medical advice despite an orbital abscess, with unknown true disease status. The remaining 3 of 42 (7.1%) had negative repeat RT-PCR. Although ultimately considered falsepositives, one was sent to a COVID unit postoperatively and two had urgent surgery delayed. Assuming negative repeat RT-PCR, clear chest imaging, and lack of subsequent symptoms represent the "gold standard," RT-PCR specificity was 0.97. CONCLUSIONS: If false positives are suspected, we recommend computed tomography (CT) of the chest and repeat RT-PCR. Validated serum immunoglobulin testing may ultimately prove useful.

Ethical surgical triage of patients with head and neck cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus has serially overtaken our metropolitan hospitals. At peak, patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome may outnumber mechanical ventilators. In our Miami Hospital System, COVID-19 cases have multiplied for 4 weeks and elective surgery has been suspended. METHODS: An Otolaryngologic Triage Committee was created to appropriately allocate resources to patients. Hospital ethicists provided support. Our tumor conference screened patients for nonsurgical options. Patients were tested twice for coronavirus before performing urgent contaminated operations. N95 masks and protective equipment were conserved when possible. Patients with low-grade cancers were advised to delay surgery, and other difficult decisions were made. RESULTS: Hundreds of surgeries were canceled. Sixty-five cases screened over 3 weeks are tabulated. Physicians and patients expressed discomfort regarding perceived deviations from standards, but risk of COVID-19 exposure tempered these discussions. CONCLUSIONS: We describe the use of actively managed surgical triage to fairly balance our patient's health with public health concerns.

The Reversal of Immune Exclusion Mediated by Tadalafil and an Anti-tumor Vaccine Also Induces PDL1 Upregulation in Recurrent Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Interim Analysis of a Phase I Clinical Trial.

Myeloid Derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) play a key role in the progression and recurrence of human malignancies and in restraining the efficacy of adjuvant therapies. We have previously shown that Tadalafil lowers MDSCs and regulatory T cells (Treg) in the blood and in the tumor, primes a tumor specific immune response, and increases the number of activated intratumoral CD8+T cells in patients with primary Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC). However, despite these important immune modulatory actions, to date no clinically significant effects have been reported following PDE5 inhibition. Here we report for the first time interim results of our ongoing phase I clinical trial (NCT02544880) in patients with recurrent HNSCC to evaluate the safety of and immunological effects of combining Tadalafil with the antitumor vaccine composed of Mucin1 (MUC1) and polyICLC. The combined treatment of Tadalafil and MUC1/polyICLC vaccine was well-tolerated with no serious adverse events or treatment limiting toxicities. Immunologically, this trial also confirms the positive immunomodulation of Tadalafil in patients with recurrent HNSCC and suggests an adjuvant effect of the anti-tumor vaccine MUC1/polyICLC. Additionally, image cytometry analysis of scanned tumors indicates that the PDE5 inhibitor Tadalafil in conjunction with the MUC1/polyICLC vaccine effectively reduces the number of PDL1+macrophages present at the tumor edge, and increases the number of activated tumor infiltrating T cells, suggesting reversion of immune exclusion. However, this analysis shows also that CD163 negative cells within the tumor upregulate PDL1 after treatment, suggesting the instauration of additional mechanisms of immune evasion. In summary, our data confirm the safety and immunologic potential of PDE5 inhibition in HNSCC but also point to PDL1 as additional mechanism of tumor evasion. This supports the rationale for combining checkpoint and PDE5 inhibitors for the treatment of human malignancies.

Meta-analysis comparing outcomes of different transoral surgical modalities in management of oropharyngeal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Optimal transoral surgical modality for oropharyneal carcinoma is currently unclear. Transoral laser surgery (TLS), transoral robotic surgery (TORS), and conventional direct transoral (DT) oropharyngectomy are the main current transoral surgical modalities for oropharyngeal carcinoma. METHODS: MEDLINE was systematically searched through PubMed. Reference lists were reviewed. Random-effects models were used to combine studies within each group. Tests for heterogeneity were used to explore difference in effect size between groups in subgroup analysis. RESULTS: Nine studies (404 patients) in TORS arm, five studies (498 patients) in TLS arm, and three studies (335 patients) in DT arm were included. Early T classification (T1-T2) for TORS and DT were higher compared to TLS group (P < .001). There was no significant difference between groups in the rate of invaded margin, post-operative oropharyngeal bleeding, temporary tracheotomy, and gastrostomy dependence. CONCLUSION: The available data do not yet provide clear evidence of superiority of any one modality.

A Review of Photodynamic Therapy for Neoplasms of the Head and Neck.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) involves the use of a phototoxic drug which is activated by low powered laser light to destroy neoplastic cells. Multiple photosensitizers have been studied and tumors have been treated in a variety of head and neck sites over the last 30 years. PDT can effectively treat head and neck tumors, particularly those of the superficial spreading type, and the classic application of this technology has been in the patient with a wide field of dysplastic change and superficial carcinomatosis. Interstitial treatment has been used to treat more invasive cancer. Data is available from case series and institutional experiences, but very little randomized data is available. We review the mechanisms of action, historical development, available data, and current knowledge regarding PDT for the various head and neck subsites, and discuss possible future directions, with an emphasis on clinical application.

Transoral robotic surgery for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma in the era of human papillomavirus.

BACKGROUND: The emergence of transoral robotic surgery (TORS) ignited the debate between surgical and nonsurgical strategies on oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) management; a question further complicated by human papillomavirus (HPV). We evaluated the survival by treatment strategy independently in HPV-related and HPV-nonrelated oropharyngeal SCC. METHODS: The National Cancer Database was queried for patients with oropharyngeal SCC with known HPV status who underwent primary TORS or primary radiotherapy. The overall survival (OS) was compared by treatment strategy, including propensity matching to control for confounders. RESULTS: Of 1873 patients, 73% were HPV-positive and 30% were treated with TORS. The propensity-matched patients with HPV-positive disease displayed no significant difference in 3-year survival; 95% versus 91% (P = .116) for the TORS versus primary radiotherapy. In the HPV-negative cohort, TORS was associated with superior survival; 84% versus 66% (P = .01). CONCLUSION: The TORS-based approach was associated with superior survival in patients with HPV-negative oropharyngeal SCC; similar difference was not observed in patients with HPV-positive disease.

Lymphatic drainage patterns in oral squamous cell carcinoma: findings of the ACOSOG Z0360 (Alliance) study.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to correlate sentinel lymph nodes (SLN) found on planar lymphoscintigraphy (LS) to SLN found with gamma probe-directed sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) for T1/T2 N0 oral cavity cancer. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cooperative group trial. SETTING: Academic medical centers. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: One hundred forty adults with untreated T1/T2 N0 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity underwent planar LS, resection, SLNB, and neck dissection. Location of SLN by planar LS and SLNB and of metastases were compared to each other and historical data of regional metastases. RESULTS: SLNs located by planar LS and SLNB were predominantly in levels I through IV. There was heterogeneity in the number of SLNs found at planar LS and at SLNB, which was significantly different in levels II and III (P < .0001). In 14 of 33 cases with bilateral drainage on planar LS, SLNB detected only unilateral SLN. Sensitivity of planar LS in predicting the level of SLN was 41% to 63%, and specificity was 68% to 95%. Comparison of locations of the metastases to historical data showed fewer metastases to level I in our study (P = .03). Metastases occurred predominantly in levels I through III. In 1 case of a lateral tongue cancer, a contralateral SLN was the only positive node. CONCLUSION: Lymphatic drainage patterns and metastases involved predominantly levels I through III. Planar LS is not sensitive for predicting the levels of SLN, and in levels II and III, the rate of detection of SLN between the 2 modalities is significantly different.

[(99m)Tc]Tilmanocept Accurately Detects Sentinel Lymph Nodes and Predicts Node Pathology Status in Patients with Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck: Results of a Phase III Multi-institutional Trial.

BACKGROUND: [(99m)Tc]Tilmanocept, a novel CD206 receptor-targeted radiopharmaceutical, was evaluated in an open-label, phase III trial to determine the false negative rate (FNR) of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) relative to the pathologic nodal status in patients with intraoral or cutaneous head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) undergoing tumor resection, SLNB, and planned elective neck dissection (END). Negative predictive value (NPV), overall accuracy of SLNB, and the impact of radiopharmaceutical injection timing relative to surgery were assessed. METHODS AND FINDINGS: This multicenter, non-randomized, single-arm trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT00911326) enrolled 101 patients with T1-T4, N0, and M0 HNSCC. Patients received 50 µg [(99m)Tc]tilmanocept radiolabeled with either 0.5 mCi (same day) or 2.0 mCi (next day), followed by lymphoscintigraphy, SLNB, and END. All excised tissues were evaluated for tissue type and tumor presence. [(99m)Tc]Tilmanocept identified one or more SLNs in 81 of 83 patients (97.6 %). Of 39 patients identified with any tumor-positive nodes (SLN or non-SLN), one patient had a single tumor-positive non-SLN in whom all SLNs were tumor-negative, yielding an FNR of 2.56 %; NPV was 97.8 % and overall accuracy was 98.8 %. No significant differences were observed between same-day and next-day procedures. CONCLUSIONS: Use of receptor-targeted [(99m)Tc]tilmanocept for lymphatic mapping allows for a high rate of SLN identification in patients with intraoral and cutaneous HNSCC. SLNB employing [(99m)Tc]tilmanocept accurately predicts the pathologic nodal status of intraoral HNSCC patients with low FNR, high NPV, and high overall accuracy. The use of [(99m)Tc]tilmanocept for SLNB in select patients may be appropriate and may obviate the need to perform more extensive procedures such as END.

Advances in diagnostic modalities to detect occult lymph node metastases in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Regional metastasis is a prominent feature of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and is an important prognostic factor. The currently available imaging techniques for assessment of the neck have limitations in accuracy; thus, elective neck dissection has remained the usual choice of management of the clinically N0 neck (cN0) for tumors with significant (≥20%) incidence of occult regional metastasis. As a consequence, the majority of patients without regional metastasis will undergo unnecessary treatment. The purpose of this review was to discuss new developments in techniques that potentially improve the accuracy of the assessment of the neck in patients with HNSCC. Although imaging has improved in the last decades, a limitation common to all imaging techniques is a lack of sensitivity for small tumor deposits. Therefore, complementary to improvements in imaging techniques, developments in more invasive diagnostic procedures, such as sentinel node biopsy (SNB) will add to the accuracy of diagnostic algorithms for the staging of the neck.

The role of sentinel lymph node biopsy for thin cutaneous melanomas of the head and neck.

From 18% to 35% of cutaneous melanomas are located in the head and neck, and nearly 70% are thin (Breslow thickness ≤ 1 mm). Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has an established role in staging of intermediate-thickness melanomas, however its use in thin melanomas remains controversial. In this article, we review the literature regarding risk factors for occult nodal metastasis in thin cutaneous melanoma of the head and neck (CMHN). Based on the current literature, we recommend SLNB for all lesions with Breslow thickness ≥ 0.75 mm, particularly when accompanied by adverse features including mitotic rate ≥ 1 per mm(2), ulceration, and extensive regression. SLNB should also be strongly considered in younger patients (e.g. < 40 years old), especially in the presence of additional adverse features. All patients who do not proceed with sentinel lymph node biopsy must be carefully followed to monitor for regional relapse.