Treatment selection for tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma

AbstractBackgroundThe optimal treatment for tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate long-term treatment outcomes of patients with tonsillar SCC, in order to aid in appropriate treatment selection.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective chart review of 105 patients with curatively treated tonsillar SCC between January 1996 and December 2005. Forty-three patients (41.0%) underwent primary surgery with or without adjuvant therapy (primary surgery group), and 62 patients (59.0%) were treated with radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy (RT/CRT, organ preservation group). Twenty patients (19%) received tumor tonsillectomy before definitive RT/CRT and were grouped into the organ preservation group.ResultsNo significant differences were observed between the primary surgery and organ preservation groups in terms of local control (p = 0.212), regional control (p = 0.684), distant metastasis (p = 0.627), 5-year disease-specific survival (DSS, p = 0.774), and overall survival rates (OS, p = 0.667). The rates of major complication (p = 0.216), long-term dependency on feeding tubes (p = 0.876), and tracheostomy (p = 0.401) were also similar. Advanced T classification (T3–4) was the only factor associated with significantly worse DSS (p = 0.007) and OS (p = 0.012). However, there was also no difference in final treatment outcomes in T3–4 patients regardless of whether they were treated with primary surgery or RT/CRT. In the organ preservation group, tumor tonsillectomy before RT/CRT did not improve local control (p = 0.520) or other treatment outcomes, including 5-year DSS (p = 0.707) and OS (p = 0.745).ConclusionBoth primary surgery and RT/CRT organ preservation are effective treatments for tonsillar SCC. Single modality treatment, either surgery or RT/CRT, can typically be provided for stage I–II diseases. Although RT/CRT organ preservation is used more frequently for stage III–IV tonsillar SCC in recent years, primary surgery combined with adjuvant therapy still achieves equivalent outcomes. Multidisciplinary pretreatment counseling and the facilities and personnel available are therefore important for decision-making. In addition, if RT/CRT organ preservation is selected as the primary treatment, tumor tonsillectomy is not indicated

Neuromagnetic Index of Hemispheric Asymmetry Prognosticating the Outcome of Sudden Hearing Loss

The longitudinal relationship between central plastic changes and clinical presentations of peripheral hearing impairment remains unknown. Previously, we reported a unique plastic pattern of “healthy-side dominance” in acute unilateral idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL). This study aimed to explore whether such hemispheric asymmetry bears any prognostic relevance to ISSNHL along the disease course. Using magnetoencephalography (MEG), inter-hemispheric differences in peak dipole amplitude and latency of N100m to monaural tones were evaluated in 21 controls and 21 ISSNHL patients at two stages: initial and fixed stage (1 month later). Dynamics/Prognostication of hemispheric asymmetry were assessed by the interplay between hearing level/hearing gain and ipsilateral/contralateral ratio (I/C) of N100m latency and amplitude. Healthy-side dominance of N100m amplitude was observed in ISSNHL initially. The pattern changed with disease process. There is a strong correlation between the hearing level at the fixed stage and initial I/Camplitude on affected-ear stimulation in ISSNHL. The optimal cut-off value with the best prognostication effect for the hearing improvement at the fixed stage was an initial I/Clatency on affected-ear stimulation of 1.34 (between subgroups of complete and partial recovery) and an initial I/Clatency on healthy-ear stimulation of 0.76 (between subgroups of partial and no recovery), respectively. This study suggested that a dynamic process of central auditory plasticity can be induced by peripheral lesions. The hemispheric asymmetry at the initial stage bears an excellent prognostic potential for the treatment outcomes and hearing level at the fixed stage in ISSNHL. Our study demonstrated that such brain signature of central auditory plasticity in terms of both N100m latency and amplitude at defined time can serve as a prognostication predictor for ISSNHL. Further studies are needed to explore the long-term temporal scenario of auditory hemispheric asymmetry and to get better psychoacoustic correlates of pathological hemispheric asymmetry in ISSNHL

Reconstruction of the Hypopharynx After Surgical Treatment of Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx (HPSCC) tends to present with an advanced stage. Surgery with postoperative radiation or chemoradiation therapy has been the standard treatment for HPSCC. Radical surgery may result in a large surgical defect of the hypopharyngeal and cervical esophageal regions. Reconstruction of the surgical defect is also important after ablation procedures. Many reconstructive methods have been developed. However, each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. The ideal method for hypopharyngeal reconstruction should have the following attributes if possible: single-stage procedure, high success rate of tissue transfer, low donor-site morbidity, low fistula and stenosis rates, restoration of the ability to speak and swallow, able to achieve successful reconstruction in a heavily radiated area and tolerance of postoperative radiotherapy. In this review article, we discuss the indications and drawbacks of several reconstructive methods that have been frequently used in our clinical practice. Finally, we will introduce the technique of laryngotracheal flap reconstruction, which was developed in our institution and has proved to be a simple and reliable method for hypopharyngeal reconstruction

Salivary Gland Carcinoma of the Larynx

Salivary gland carcinomas of the larynx are rare, and account for <1% of laryngeal malignancy. The purpose of this study is to review our management experience of salivary gland carcinomas of the larynx in Taipei Veterans General Hospital and to compare it with other major existing series. Methods: From 1981 to 2000, 11 patients with laryngeal salivary gland carcinomas treated in Taipei Veterans General Hospital were included in this study. Their demographic data, treatment modalities, survival, and failure pattern, obtained by review of medical records, were analyzed. Results: All 11 patients were male. Median follow-up period was 95 months (range, 18-181 months). The 5-year overall survival rate of all patients was 71%, and the 5-year disease-specific survival rate was 83%. Conclusion: The mainstay treatment of laryngeal salivary gland carcinomas in these cases was surgery or surgery with postoperative radiotherapy. The survival rate was satisfactory and similar to that of squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx

Office-Based Structural Autologous Fat Injection Laryngoplasty for Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis

Unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) is a common cause of incomplete glottic closure, leading to significant somatic and social disabilities. Office-based autologous fat injection laryngoplasty (AFIL) has been proposed as an effective treatment for glottic insufficiency but has not been well-studied for UVFP. We enrolled 23 patients who underwent office-based structural AFIL due to unilateral vocal paralysis at our institution between February 2021 and January 2022. In the procedure, autologous fat was harvested and injected into the vocal fold under the guidance of flexible digital endoscopy for structural fat grafting. The voice handicap index-10 (VHI-10) score and perceptual voice measurements were collected before the operation, 2 weeks postoperatively, and 3 months postoperatively. Twenty-two patients were followed-up for at least 3 months. The VHI-10 score improved significantly from 29.65 ± 8.52 preoperatively to 11.74 ± 7.42 at 2 weeks (p p p p p = 0.004) were also noted at 3 months postoperatively when perceptual measurements were investigated. Office-based structural AFIL is an effective treatment for improving voice-related disability for UVFP patients