Jochen A. Werner

Proposal for revision of the European Laryngological Society classification of endoscopic cordectomies.

A classification of laryngeal endoscopic cordectomies, which included eight different types, was first proposed by the European Laryngological Society in 2000. The purpose of this proposal of classification was an attempt to reach better consensus amongst clinicians and agree on uniformity in reporting the extent and depth of resection of cordectomy procedures, to allow relevant comparisons within the literature when presenting/publishing the results of surgery, and to recommend the use of guidelines to allow for reproducibility amongst practicing laryngologists. A total of 24 article citations of this classification have been found through the science citation index, as well as 3 book chapters on larynx cancer surgery, confirming its acceptance. However, on reflection, and with the passage of time, lesions originating at the anterior commissure have not been clearly described and, for that reason, a new endoscopic cordectomy (type VI) for cancers of the anterior commissure, which have extended or not to one or both of the vocal folds, without infiltration of the thyroid cartilage is now being proposed by the European Laryngological Society Committee on Nomenclature to revise and complete the initially reported classification.

Functional anatomy of the lymphatic drainage system of the upper aerodigestive tract and its role in metastasis of squamous cell carcinoma

Although there is a significant understanding of the vascular anatomy of the upper aerodigestive tract (UADT), there is less detailed knowledge of the architecture and drainage patterns of the lymphatic system. Detailed knowledge of the lymphatic system is critical for understanding the role of sentinal node identification in the management of different cancers.

Transoral Carbon Dioxide Laser Resection of Supraglottic Carcinoma

Between 1981 and 1994, 34 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the supraglottis were treated by transoral carbon dioxide laser resection, 12 of them palliatively. Additional treatment included neck dissection in 21 patients and radiotherapy in 24 patients. The 3-year overall survival was 62%, and the actuarial survival 80%. The overall survival for T1 and T2 tumors was 71%, and that for T3 and T4 tumors was 47%. The overall 3-year survival for the early stages, I and II, was 88%, and that for the advanced stages, III and IV, was 50%. These results are comparable to the outcome after conventional open partial resection. Given the significantly lower morbidity (only 7 patients required tracheostomy), we do not observe an age limit anymore. The transoral method can be recommended as curative treatment in T1 and T2 tumors and in selected T3 and T4 tumors in concert with neck dissection and/or radiotherapy. In patients with advanced inoperable tumors, laser surgery is an excellent alternative to tracheostomy and palliative radiotherapy. Prerequisites for successful application of the transoral carbon dioxide laser resection are adequate resection techniques.

Propranolol therapy for infantile haemangiomas: review of the literature.

OBJECTIVES Haemangiomas are the most common tumors of infancy affecting approximately 1 in 10 children. Unlike other tumors, haemangiomas enter an involution phase, during which they usually regress over the next several months to years. Sometimes intervention is required due to proliferative growth which is complicated by ulceration, bleeding, persistent aesthetic deformity or infection. METHODS Review of the literature. RESULTS Propranolol, a nonselective beta-blocker, has recently been introduced as a novel modality for the treatment of proliferating haemangiomas. The exact mechanism of action of propranolol in the treatment of haemangiomas remains unclear, but vasoconstriction, down-regulation of angiogenic factors such as VEGF and bFGF and up-regulation of apoptosis of capillary endothelial cells may be responsible for the reduction of haemangiomas. Besides, an inhibition of MMP-9 and HBMEC expression by propanolol is discussed as possible mechanism influencing the growth of haemangiomas. However, there are different case reports of successfully treated infants in the current literature. CONCLUSION There is the obtain that propranolol will detach steroids in the therapy for infantile haemangiomas.

Current concepts in the classification, diagnosis and treatment of hemangiomas and vascular malformations of the head and neck

Abstract There are many different classifications of vascular anomalies. As the correct classification of the vascular lesion has a direct influence on therapy it is difficult to decide which treatment should be considered as the treatment of choice. Based on an extensive review of the literature and personal experience of the treatment of more than 200 patients with hemangiomas or vascular malformations of the head and neck, a clinical classification is described that allows vascular lesions to be categorized in order to plan purposeful treatment. In general, hemangiomas represent the main group of vascular lesions in infancy and childhood. They are usually apparent a few weeks after birth and are characterized by an initially rapid growth of epithelial cells, followed by spontaneous involution. Hemangiomas should be differentiated from vascular malformations that are present at birth but may not be evident clinically. Spontaneous involution of vascular malformations has never been reported, whereas laser therapy can induce involution of hemangiomas at an early stage in a majority of cases. In certain situations steroids or surgical removal may seem to be the appropriate therapy of choice. In contrast, vascular malformations have to be treated according to their histopathology and location, as well as their hemodynamic features as shown radiographically with angiography. The accurate diagnosis of vascular anomalies is essential for further treatment, as shown by clinical experience at the University of Marburg.

Clinical patterns of metastasis.

In human solid cancer, lymph node status is the most important indicator for clinical outcome. Recent developments in the sentinel lymph node concept and technology have resulted in a more precise way of examining micrometastasis in the sentinel lymph node and the role of lymphovascular system in the facilitation of cancer metastasis.Different patens of metastasis are described with respect to different types of solid cancer. Expect perhaps for papillary carcinoma and sarcoma, the overwhelming evidence is that solid cancer progresses in an orderly progression from the primary site to the regional lymph node or the sentinel lymph node in the majority of cases with subsequent dissemination to the systemic sites. The basic mechanisms of cancer metastasis through the lymphovascular system form the basis of rational therapy against cancer. Beyond the clinical patterns of metastasis, it is imperative to understand the biology of metastasis and to characterize patterns of metastasis perhaps due to heterogeneous clones based on their molecular signatures.

The role of matrix metalloproteinases in squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck.

The ability of tumors to infiltrate the surrounding tissue is one of the major characteristics of a malignancy. This process is based on the tumors ability to destroy the extracellular matrix (ECM) including the basement membrane (BM). Several previous studies identified matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), a family of zinc-dependent endopeptidases to be keyplayers in this process. Since then multiple investigations focused on the expression and activation levels of their extracellular regulators and to a lesser extent of their transcriptional modulators. However, the exact diagnostic and prognostic values of these regulators still remain unclear. Squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (HNSCC) are known for their infiltrative growth and there is strong evidence that at least some members of the MMP-family play a crucial role in this process. It turned out that MMP-2, -9, -13 and to a lesser extent MMP-7 are related to the metastatic potential of HNSCC but further studies will be required to establish the exact role of MMPs in HNSCC. This Review will discuss the current literature concerning the role of MMPs in HNSCC.

The sentinel node concept in head and neck cancer: solution for the controversies in the n0 neck?

The majority of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) who have a clinical N0 neck undergo neck dissection (ND) even though no lymph node metastases may be detected. With this background, our investigation critically analyzes the value of sentinel lymphadenectomy.

A meta-analysis of the randomized controlled trials on elective neck dissection versus therapeutic neck dissection in oral cavity cancers with clinically node-negative neck.

There is still no consensus on the optimal treatment of the neck in oral cavity cancer patients with clinical N0 neck. The aim of this study was to assess a possible benefit of elective neck dissection in oral cancers with clinical N0 neck. A comprehensive search and systematic review of electronic databases was carried out for randomized trials comparing elective neck dissection to therapeutic neck dissection (observation) in oral cancer patients with clinical N0 neck. A meta-analysis of the studies which met our defined selection criteria was performed using disease-specific death as the primary outcome, and the relative risk (RR) of disease-specific death was calculated for each of the identified studies. Both fixed-effects (Mantel-Haenszel method) and random-effects models were applied to obtain a combined RR estimate, although between-study heterogeneity was not found to be significant as indicated by an I(2) of 8.5% (p=0.350). Four studies with a total of 283 patients met our inclusion criteria. The results of the meta-analysis showed that elective neck dissection reduced the risk of disease-specific death (fixed-effects model RR=0.57, 95% CI 0.36-0.89, p=0.014; random-effects model RR=0.59, 95% CI 0.37-0.96, p=0.034) compared to observation. This reduction in disease-specific death rate supports the need to perform elective neck dissection in oral cancers with clinical N0 neck.

Contemporary management of lymph node metastases from an unknown primary to the neck: I. A review of diagnostic approaches

In an era of advanced diagnostics, metastasis to cervical lymph nodes from an occult primary tumor is a rare clinical entity and accounts for approximately 3% of head and neck malignancies. Histologically, two thirds of cases are squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), with other tissue types less common in the neck. With modern imaging and tissue examinations, a primary tumor initially undetected on physical examination is revealed in >50% of patients and the site of the index primary can be predicted with a high level of probability. In the present review, the range and limitations of diagnostic procedures are summarized and the optimal diagnostic workup is proposed. Initial preferred diagnostic procedures are a fine‐needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) and imaging. This allows directed surgical biopsy (such as tonsillectomy), based on the preliminary findings, and prevents misinterpretation of postsurgical images. When no primary lesion is suggested after imaging and panendoscopy, and for patients without a history of smoking and alcohol abuse, molecular profiling of an FNAB sample for human papillomavirus (HPV) and/or Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is important. Head Neck, 2013