Hassan Arshad

Survival rates and prognostic factors for infiltrating salivary duct carcinoma: Analysis of 228 cases from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database

The survival rates and prognostic factors for salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) are not clear.

Intensive care unit versus non–intensive care unit postoperative management of head and neck free flaps: Comparative effectiveness and cost comparisons

Despite its widespread use, there is no consensus on the postoperative management in patients undergoing free flap reconstructions. We report the largest study comparing flap outcomes, morbidity, and cost in patients with head and neck cancer free flaps who recovered in the intensive care unit (ICU) versus a “specialty floor” setting.

Survival Differences between Organ Preservation Surgery and Definitive Radiotherapy in Early Supraglottic Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Objective Single-modality treatment, either with organ preservation surgery (OPS) or definitive radiation (RT), is the treatment of choice for patients with early supraglottic squamous cell carcinoma (SGC). However, studies comparing the effectiveness of these 2 techniques are lacking. This study compares the survival outcomes in early SGC patients treated with OPS versus RT. Study Design Secondary data analysis. Setting Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database. Subjects and Methods This study included adult patients with early-stage (T1N0, T2N0) SGC undergoing single-modality treatment with either OPS (with or without neck dissection [ND]) or RT between 1988 and 2008. Survival analysis was used to compare the overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) between patients treated with OPS+ND, OPS alone, and RT. Results A total of 2631 T1/T2 N0 SGC patients were identified, of whom 167 (6%) were treated with OPS+ND, 186 (7%) with OPS only, and 2278 patients (87%) with definitive RT only. In stage I (T1N0) SGC patients, a significantly better 5-year DSS was noted for both OPS+ND (81% vs 68%, hazard ratio [HR] = 0.61, P = .03) and OPS only (82% vs 68%, HR = 0.70, P = .05) when compared with definitive RT. For stage II (T2N0) patients, only OPS+ND resulted in a significantly better 5-year DSS (86% vs 60%, HR = 0.31, P < .001) when compared with patients treated with RT. Conclusions Patients with early SGC who underwent OPS+ND had better OS and DSS than patients undergoing RT alone. OPS+ND may be considered a viable and preferred treatment option in these patients.

Photodynamic therapy with 3-(1′-hexyloxyethyl) pyropheophorbide-a for early-stage cancer of the larynx: Phase Ib study

The purpose of this study was for us to report results regarding the safety of 3‐(1′‐hexyloxyethyl) pyropheophorbide‐a (HPPH) mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT) in early laryngeal disease, and offer preliminary information on treatment responses.

Surface markers for guiding cylindrical diffuser fiber insertion in interstitial photodynamic therapy of head and neck cancer

Image‐based treatment planning can be used to compute the delivered light dose during interstitial photodynamic therapy (I‐PDT) of locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LA‐HNSCC). The objectives of this work were to evaluate the use of surface fiducial markers and flexible adhesive grids in guiding interstitial placement of laser fibers, and to quantify the impact of discrepancies in fiber location on the expected light dose volume histograms (DVHs).

Current state and future of photodynamic therapy for the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Photodynamic therapy has shown promise in the treatment of early head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). In photodynamic therapy (PDT), a light sensitive drug (photosensitizer) and visible light cause cancer cell death by the creation of singlet oxygen and free radicals, inciting an immune response, and vascular collapse. In this paper, we review several studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of PDT in the treatment of early stage SCC of the head and neck, with some showing a similar response rate to surgery. Two cases are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of PDT. Then, new advances are discussed including the discovery of STAT3 crosslinking as a potential biomarker for PDT response and interstitial PDT for locally advanced cancers.

Smoking cessation is associated with improved survival in oropharynx cancer treated by chemoradiation.

The effect of smoking and human papillomavirus (HPV) on overall survival (OS) of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) patients undergoing concurrent chemotherapy (CCRT) remains unclear.

Intraoperative optical assessment of photodynamic therapy response of superficial oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Abstract. This study investigated whether diffuse optical spectroscopy (DOS) measurements could assess clinical response to photodynamic therapy (PDT) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). In addition, the correlation between parameters measured with DOS and the crosslinking of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), a molecular marker for PDT-induced photoreaction, was investigated. Thirteen patients with early stage HNSCC received the photosensitizer 2-[1-hexyloxyethyl]-2-devinylpyropheophorbide-a (HPPH) and DOS measurements were performed before and after PDT in the operating room (OR). In addition, biopsies were acquired after PDT to assess the STAT3 crosslinking. Parameters measured with DOS, including blood volume fraction, blood oxygen saturation (StO2), HPPH concentration (cHPPH), HPPH fluorescence, and blood flow index (BFI), were compared to the pathologic response and the STAT3 crosslinking. The best individual predictor of pathological response was a change in cHPPH (sensitivity=60%, specificity=100%), while discrimination analysis using a two-parameter classifier (change in cHPPH and change in StO2) classified pathological response with 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity. BFI showed the best correlation with the crosslinking of STAT3. These results indicate that DOS-derived parameters can assess the clinical response in the OR, allowing for earlier reintervention if needed.

Head and neck free flap reconstruction: What is the appropriate post-operative level of care?

Patients undergoing head and neck reconstruction require complex, multidisciplinary postoperative care which may include wound care, flap monitoring, tracheostomy management, and management of comorbid conditions. Historically, patients undergoing major resection of a head and neck or aerodigestive tract malignancy with regional or free flap reconstruction were routinely admitted to the ICU. Although head and neck cancer patients may have multiple medical comorbidities that may require postoperative critical care, the current trend in many institutions is to transfer stable and less medically complex patients to non-intensive care-level units with specialty trained nursing staff. These units have been shown to decrease the total cost of care without compromising the quality of care, length of stay, or postoperative complications.

Routine surveillance scanning in HNSCC: Lung screening CT scans have value but head and neck scans do not

OBJECTIVES To examine the utility of computed tomography (CT) imaging during routine surveillance for the detection of recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). MATERIALS/METHODS Clinical characteristics of HNSCC patients treated between 2008 and 2017 with radiation therapy or concurrent chemoradiation were abstracted from medical records. In patients who achieved a complete response to treatment by positron emission tomography scan, surveillance CT scans were conducted to the maxillofacial area, neck, and chest every 3 months in year 1, every 6 months in year 2, and every 12 months in years 3 and beyond. RESULTS Within the entire cohort (n = 534), complete response was achieved in 446 patients (83.5%); of these, 84 (15.7%) patients had a recurrence. Among the 84 patients with disease recurrence, 25 (30%) patients remained alive, of which 15 (18%) underwent successful salvage treatment and became free of disease. Lung screening CT scans detected failure in 8 of these successfully salvaged patients. Among the 8 patients successfully salvaged for locoregional recurrence, 3 failures were asymptomatic at onset and detected by laryngoscope or dental exam. The remaining 5 failures were symptomatic and detected upon work up prompted by symptoms. Maxillofacial and neck surveillance CT imaging failed to detect any successfully salvaged patients. CONCLUSIONS Routine surveillance for HNSCC patients with lung CT imaging had value but routine head and neck CT scans failed to identify any successfully salvaged patients. Given this finding, routine CT imaging surveillance in HNSCC patients should be restricted to annual lung screening with low-dose chest CT.