Zachary G. Schwam

Improved prognosis for patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma: Analysis of the National Cancer Database 1998-2006.

BACKGROUND Improvements in prognosis have been reported for oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) in international cohorts. We sought to quantify improvement in survival of OCSCC and to determine factors associated with survival in the United States using a large administrative database. METHODS Retrospective cohort study of 13,655 patients with OCSCC in the National Cancer Database diagnosed during time periods 1998-2003 and 2004-2006. Statistical methods included chi-square and Cox regression. RESULTS Patients with early (Stages I and II) and late stage (Stages III and IV) disease had improvements of 36.2% and 16.0% in three-year overall survival, respectively. Receipt of adjuvant chemoradiation increased from 8.3% to 36.4% for late stage disease, while receipt of adjuvant therapy in early stage disease remained stable. Patients with early stage disease increased from 64.1% for years 1998-2003 to 67.4% during 2004-2006 (p<.001). Being diagnosed between 2004 and 2006 was associated with decreased mortality in early and late stage disease (HR 0.67 and 0.87, p<.001, respectively). Other treatment factors associated with improved survival for patients of all stages included treatment in a high-volume center (HR 0.91, p=.002) and undergoing neck dissection (HR 0.90, p=.001). CONCLUSIONS Three-year overall survival has increased dramatically for OCSCC patients. Advanced stage patients have been increasingly treated with chemoradiotherapy, while treatment of early stage patients has remained relatively unchanged. While other factors such as negative surgical margins and undergoing neck dissection may be partly responsible for improvements in early stage patients, further study is needed to understand the observed survival improvements.

Comparison of intranasal fluticasone spray, budesonide atomizer, and budesonide respules in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with polyposis after endoscopic sinus surgery

Nasal steroids are a critical part of the management of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP) after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). Increasingly, practitioners are using budesonide respules delivered to the sinonasal cavities, which is an off‐label use, in lieu of traditional nasal steroids. There has been little research comparing budesonide with traditional nasal steroids and the most effective delivery method of budesonide.

Survival Outcomes for Combined Modality Therapy for Sinonasal Undifferentiated Carcinoma.

Objective Sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma is a rare and aggressive malignancy of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. Multi-institutional studies examining outcomes of combined modality treatment versus other treatment modalities have not been performed. The objective of our study was to present outcomes for multimodality therapy through use of the National Cancer Database. Study Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting National Cancer Database. Methods A total of 435 cases of SNUC diagnosed between 2004 and 2012 were identified. Kaplan-Meier analyses were performed to find 5-year cumulative survival rates. Multivariate Cox regression evaluated overall survival based on treatment when adjusting for other prognostic factors (age, primary site, sex, race, comorbidity, insurance, and TNM stage). Within the surgery + chemoradiotherapy group, survival analysis was also performed to compare outcomes for induction and adjuvant chemotherapy. Results The cumulative 5-year survival rate was 41.5%, and 36.1% of patients received surgery with chemoradiotherapy. In multivariate analysis, surgery + chemoradiotherapy was associated with significantly improved overall survival versus surgery + radiotherapy and radiotherapy but not significantly different from chemoradiotherapy. Within the surgery + chemoradiotherapy group, induction and adjuvant chemotherapy groups did not have associated differences in survival. Conclusion Combined modality therapy (chemoradiotherapy or surgery + chemoradiotherapy) is associated with improved survival outcomes versus other treatment modalities in patients with sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma.

National treatment patterns in patients presenting with Stage IVC head and neck cancer: analysis of the National Cancer Database.

Head and neck cancer patients presenting with distant metastases are generally considered incurable. Treatment patterns and survival by primary disease site and therapy have not been described. Retrospective cohort analysis of 2525 patients in the National Cancer Database (2003–2006). Kaplan–Meier and Cox proportional hazards analyses were performed. Combined locoregional and systemic therapy was the most common treatment regimen (39.2%), followed by no treatment (23.9%), locoregional (19.0%), and systemic treatment (17.8%). Multivariate analysis demonstrated decreased survival was associated with age 65–79 years hazard ratio [HR] 1.43, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.14–1.80), Medicaid/uninsured status (HR 1.27, 95% CI 1.13–1.42), Medicare/other government insurance (HR 1.21, 95% 1.07–1.38), treatment at a nonacademic/research program (HR 1.17, 95% CI 1.07–1.27), and Charlson comorbidity score of 1 (HR 1.33, 95% 1.19–1.48). Compared to systemic therapy alone, receiving locoregional and systemic therapy was associated with decreased risk of death (HR 0.73, 95% CI 0.65–0.83). Only 14.6% and 0.6% of patients were recorded as receiving palliative therapy or being enrolled in a clinical trial, respectively. Significant treatment diversity exists in distantly metastatic head and neck cancer. Those who received combination locoregional and systemic therapy were more likely to have improved overall survival, but important factors in treatment selection are unknown. A small proportion of patients was found to receive either palliative therapy or was enrolled in a clinical trial, although these data likely underestimate the true proportions.

Refusal of postoperative radiotherapy and its association with survival in head and neck cancer

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Administering postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) is associated with improved survival and slower disease progression in select head and neck cancer patients. Predictive factors for PORT refusal have not been described in this population. MATERIALS AND METHODS Retrospective analysis of 6127 head and neck cancer patients who received or refused PORT in the National Cancer Database (2003-2006) was performed. Statistical analysis included Chi-square, multivariable logistic regression, Kaplan-Meier, and Cox proportional hazards analysis. RESULTS In total, 247 patients (4.0%) refused PORT. Three-year overall survival was 62.8% versus 53.4% for those who received and refused PORT, respectively. PORT refusers were more likely to have negative nodes than those who underwent PORT (37.4% versus 20.1%, p<.001). In multivariate analysis, predictive factors for refusing PORT included living far from the treatment facility (OR 1.92), having negative nodes (OR 2.14), and Charlson score of ⩾ 2 (OR 2.14) (all p ⩽.001). PORT refusal was associated with increased mortality (hazard ratio 1.20, p=.044). CONCLUSIONS A significant proportion of head and neck cancer patients refused PORT; this was associated with compromised overall survival. Predictive factors for PORT refusal included socioeconomic, demographic, and pathologic variables. Elucidating root causes of refusal may lead to interventions that improve long-term outcomes.

Thirty-day morbidity and mortality following otologic/neurotologic surgery: Analysis of the national surgical quality improvement program

To determine the rate and timing of, as well as risk factors for, postoperative morbidity and mortality following otologic and neurotologic surgery.

Patient knowledge and expectations in endoscopic sinus surgery.

The potential for patient misconceptions about endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) has implications for the informed consent process. An understanding of patients’ baseline knowledge and sources of information regarding ESS would improve surgeons’ ability to counsel patients preoperatively and provide effective educational materials.

Receipt of Care Discordant with Practice Guidelines is Associated with Compromised Overall Survival in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

AIMS It is unknown whether receiving treatment that is discordant with practice guidelines is associated with improved survival in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The objectives of this study were to characterise national treatment patterns, analyse whether treatment outside of practice guidelines is associated with overall survival, and identify variables associated with receiving guidelines-discordant care in the USA. MATERIALS AND METHODS This was a retrospective cohort study of 1741 nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients in the National Cancer Data Base (2003-2006). Treatment regimens were compared with the 2004-2006 National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. Statistical analyses included chi-square, Kaplan-Meier, multivariable logistic, and Cox regression. RESULTS Nearly 26% of our cohort received care discordant with practice guidelines. In multivariable analysis, patients with stage IVC disease (odds ratio 2.59, 95% confidence interval 1.66-4.04) were more likely to receive guidelines-discordant care when compared with those with stage II-IVB disease. The most common treatment deviation for those with stage I disease was overtreatment with chemoradiation therapy. Receiving guidelines-discordant care was associated with an increased risk of death (hazard ratio 1.46, 95% confidence interval 1.25-1.69). CONCLUSIONS Many patients with stages I and IVC nasopharyngeal carcinoma do not receive care in accordance with practice guidelines. Receiving guidelines-discordant care is associated with compromised overall survival in the USA.

Comparing 30-Day Morbidity and Mortality in Pediatric and Adult Otologic Surgery

Objective To determine differences in timing and rate of postoperative adverse events among pediatric and adult populations undergoing specific otologic procedures. Study Design Administrative database study. Setting Multi-institutional database. Subjects and Methods The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) and NSQIP-Pediatric (NSQIP-P) were used to extract data from 819 adults (years 2005-2010) and 7020 children (years 2012-2014) undergoing tympanoplasty and (tympano)mastoidectomy, respectively. Simple summary statistics, χ2, and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. Results There were no significant differences in overall adverse event rates between adults (2.9%) and children (2.3%) (P = .233). Adults experienced infectious complications more frequently than did children (0.4% vs 0.0%, P = .002). Postdischarge complications accounted for 83.7% of all complications. Children treated by pediatric otolaryngologists had higher readmission rates (odds ratio [OR], 2.80; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.20-3.60; P = .002). Tympanomastoidectomy was associated with higher odds of reoperation (OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01-1.03; P < .001), as was undergoing a concurrent procedure that did not include myringotomy (OR, 3.38; 95% CI, 1.47-7.79; P = .004). Conclusion Both adult and pediatric otologic surgery are safe, with patients experiencing similarly low complication rates. Most adverse events occur after discharge.

Severe epistaxis due to aberrant vasculature in a patient with STAT-1 mutation.

Signal transducer and activator 1 (STAT‐1) mutations are rare and have been implicated in combined immunodeficiency, enhanced tumorigenesis, and vascular defects.