Head and Neck Cancer Trends in Semarang: An analysis of ASR and ASCR

Background: The sustainable incidence data of Head and Neck Cancer is poorly described in Indonesia. There was no large-scale epidemiological study of head and neck cancer in Indonesia, especially in Semarang and surrounding areas. Whereas, by knowing the distribution of sex and age in the incidence data could indicate changes in patterns of cancer that occur every year. Aim: This research aim to determine the distribution of head and neck cancer based on anatomic site, age and sex by counting the Age Standardization Rates (ASR) and Age Standardization Cancer Ratio (ASCAR) score Methods : This research was a retrospective observational descriptive study using the medical records of Head and Neck Cancer Patients from Anatomical Pathology Laboratory of Kariadi Central Hospital / Medical Faculty Diponegoro University and Waspada Laboratory in 2010- 2014. Collected data were tabulated manually using Microsoft Excel and analyzed and presented descriptively in table or graphic form Result: The incidences of head and neck cancer were varies every year. The nasopharyngeal cancer seems to be the most common head and neck cancer diagnosed during 2010- 2014. ASCR and ASR in male and female were different in certain head and neck cancer cases. Generally, ASR in male was higher than in females. Conclusion: The trends of head and neck cancer mostly in men. Based on age it distributed mostly in age group 40- 44.Nasopharyngeal cancer is the most cases diagnosed in this period in both male and female and followed with the neoplasm of nasal cavity and middle ear. Age Standardization used in this research allows this research’s result to be compared with the result in another population which used the same method. Keywords Head and Neck Cancer, ASR, ASC

Head and neck cancer: metronomic chemotherapy

In the era of personalized medicine, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) represents a critical oncologic topic. Conventional chemotherapy regimens consist of drugs administration in cycles near or at the maximum tolerated dose (MDT), followed by a long drug-free period to permit the patient to recover from acute toxicities. Despite this strategy is successful in controlling the cancer process at the beginning, a significant number of HNSCC patients tend to recurred or progress, especially those patients with locally advanced or metastatic disease. The repertoire of drugs directed against tumor cells has greatly increased and metronomic chemotherapy (MC) could be an effective treatment option.It is the purpose of this article to review the concept of MC and describe its potential use in HNSCC. We provide an update of ongoing progress and current challenges related to this issue

Are the demographics for squamous cell cancer in the head and neck changing in the United Kingdom?

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is well known to be more common in men than women. Smoking and alcohol are the key risk factors causing such malignancies and there are several publications which have suggested that the prevalence of these diseases is increasing more in women than in men in western countries due to increased smoking and alcohol use.We collected our data at the Institute of Laryngology and Otology from the last 45 years and analysed the disease ratios in male to female patients in different sites within the head and neck. Our results revealed a decreasing male to female ratio, though this was not statistically significant. However, it draws attention to the increasing number of women with head and neck cancer, which may reflect their increasing use of cigarettes and alcohol

The impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on head and neck cancer patients' care

The impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on head and neck cancer patients' care

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor of the cervical vagus nerve in a neurofibromatosis type 1 patient - An unusual presentation

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST’S) of the head and neck comprise 2% to 6% of head and neck sarcomas. These tumors may arise as sporadic variants or in patients with neurofibromatosis (NF). Development of these MPNST’s is one of the serious complications of neurofibromatosis type 1(NF1). To our knowledge there are only two reported cases of MPNST’s arising in the cervical vagal nerve, occurring in NF1 patients. We present here an NF1 patient who developed an MPNST of the cervical vagus nerve and presented only with a cervical swelling and hoarseness

Head and Neck Manifestations of Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct the first and only systematic review of the existing literature on head and neck manifestations of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis to guide clinical decision making for the otolaryngologist. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and LILACS. REVIEW METHODS: A systematic review of the aforementioned sources was conducted per the PRISMA guidelines. RESULTS: From an initial 574 studies, 28 trials and reports were included, accounting for a total of 1175 patients with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis. Among clinical and cohort studies, 48.0% to 96.0% of all included patients presented with head and neck manifestations. In a distinct group of patients detailed in case reports describing patients presenting with head and neck manifestations, patients on average fulfilled 4.6 diagnostic criteria per the American College of Rheumatology. Furthermore, 95.8% of reported cases were responsive to steroids, and 60% required additional therapy. CONCLUSION: Otolaryngologists are in a unique position for the early diagnosis and prevention of late complications of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis. The American College of Rheumatology criteria should be relied on in the diagnostic workup. Close surveillance of these patients in a multidisciplinary fashion and with baseline complete blood counts, chest radiographs, and autoimmune laboratory tests is often necessary. Such patients with head and neck manifestations of the disease are nearly always responsive to steroids and often require additional immunosuppressive therapy or surgical intervention in cases of cranial neuropathies, temporal bone involvement, and refractory symptoms

Life as an early career researcher: Ruth Bower

Ruth Bower talks to Francesca Lake, Managing Editor: Ruth is currently researching head and neck cancer chemoradiotherapy regimens utilizing microfluidic technology to maintain and interrogate biopsies. Tissue response is investigated using a variety of whole tissue and cellular analytical techniques with a view toward personalized medicine. She is currently pursuing her PhD within the head and neck cancer research group at Hull University (UK). Ruth obtained a first class (Hons) degree in Biological Sciences from Lancaster University (UK) during which time she spent a year at the University of Wollongong (Australia)

Violacein, an indole-derived purple-colored natural pigment produced by Janthinobacterium lividum, inhibits the growth of head and neck carcinoma cell lines both in vitro and in vivo

Violacein (VIO; 3-[1,2-dihydro-5-(5-hydroxy-1H-indol-3-yl)-2-oxo-3H-pyrrol-3-ylidene]-1,3-dihydro-2H-indol-2-one), an indole-derived purple-colored pigment, produced by a limited number of Gram-negative bacteria species, including Chromobacterium violaceum and Janthinobacterium lividum, has been demonstrated to have anti-cancer activity, as it interferes with survival transduction signaling pathways in different cancer models. Head and neck carcinoma (HNC) represents the sixth most common and one of the most fatal cancers worldwide. We determined whether VIO was able to inhibit head and neck cancer cell growth both in vitro and in vivo. We provide evidence that VIO treatment of human and mouse head and neck cancer cell lines inhibits cell growth and induces autophagy and apoptosis. In fact, VIO treatment increased PARP-1 cleavage, the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, the inhibition of ERK1 and ERK2 phosphorylation, and the expression of light chain 3-II (LC3-II). Moreover, VIO was able to induce p53 degradation, cytoplasmic nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) accumulation, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. VIO induced a significant increase in ROS production. VIO administration was safe in BALB/c mice and reduced the growth of transplanted salivary gland cancer cells (SALTO) in vivo and prolonged median survival. Taken together, our results indicate that the treatment of head and neck cancer cells with VIO can be useful in inhibiting in vivo and in vitro cancer cell growth. VIO may represent a suitable tool for the local treatment of HNC in combination with standard therapies