Margins in head and neck non-melanoma skin cancer surgery: clinical/pathological criteria and their impact on oncological outcomes and therapeutic choices. A systematic review.

Introduction: Non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSCs), including basal (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), are the most prevalent malignancies affecting the skin, with the head and neck region being the most common site of involvement. Surgical excision remains the primary treatment modality. The role of surgical margins in the treatment of skin SCC and BCC of the head and neck remains a subject of ongoing debate.

Margins in oncologic nasopharyngeal surgery: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Objective: Nasopharyngeal malignancies are rare heterogenous histologies (nasopharyngeal carcinoma [NPC], minor salivary glands carcinomas, and low-grade papillary nasopharyngeal adenocarcinoma) and a significant proportion of patients experience loco-regional recurrence after primary treatment. Resection margin status is a key prognostic factor that influences recurrence and survival, although definitions and criteria for negative, close, and positive margins remain inconsistent. This systematic review with meta-analysis aimed to summarise the existing definitions of resection margins in the literature and evaluate their impact on clinical outcomes in patients undergoing nasopharyngectomy with a specific focus on NPC.

Surgical margin assessment and prognostic impact in sinonasal cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Surgery remains a cornerstone in treatment of sinonasal malignancies, but the prognostic role of margin status is controversial. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the prognostic significance of surgical margins in sinonasal cancer and their impact on survival, alongside key challenges in its evaluation.

Methods: A systematic search in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science identified 64 studies (34,120 patients).

Temporal-Parotid Resection for Malignant Parotid Tumors: A Systematic Review.

Objective: Surgery involving the skull base has recently gained significant prominence in treatment of head and neck cancer. "En bloc temporal-parotid resection," as applied in primary malignancies of the external ear, should be considered as a shift in the surgical landscape of "extended total parotidectomies" to achieve negative surgical margins and decrease the risk of tumor spillage during the procedure. The purpose of this systematic review is to evaluate survival outcomes and margin status in patients with parotid malignancies involving the temporal bone and treated with temporal-parotid resection (TPR).

Ectopic olfactory neuroblastoma is associated with increased frequency of syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion and reduced disease control: Case series with systematic review and pooled analysis.

Introduction: Olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB) is a rare malignant tumor originating from the olfactory neuroepithelium, typically within the sinonasal cavity. Cases of ONB originating outside of the olfactory cleft area are extremely rare and are referred to as "ectopic" (eONB), in contrast to "orthotopic" tumors (oONB). ONB has been associated with paraneoplastic syndromes (PNSs), including the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH).

Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma with Distant Metastasis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background/objectives: Distant metastasis (DM), though uncommon at initial presentation, significantly worsens the prognosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs). This review aimed to investigate the occurrence rates, patterns, and implications of HNSCC DM.

Methods: A systematic search was performed in Scopus, PubMed and Web of Science.

Pott's Puffy Tumor in Young Age: A Systematic Review and Our Experience.

: Pott's Puffy Tumor (PPT) in young-age patients is a rare clinical entity characterized by osteomyelitis of the frontal bone with a subperiosteal abscess collection. Previous reviews primarily consist of small, retrospective case series and anecdotal reports. This study aims to present the largest, most up-to-date systematic review of essential clinical findings, diagnostic modalities, microbiologic considerations, and treatment approaches for managing PPT in pediatric and adolescent populations.

Oral Care in Head and Neck Radiotherapy: Proposal for an Oral Hygiene Protocol.

This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the literature on the oral side effects caused by radiotherapy for head and neck cancers. Various treatments are examined to mitigate these sequelae, and a protocol is proposed for dentists and dental hygienists to manage oncological patients. A literature search was conducted to select relevant articles addressing the effects of radiotherapy treatments on the oral cavity, with a particular focus on the development of mucositis, candidiasis, changes in salivary pH, trismus, fibrosis, and alterations in the oral biofilm.

Long-Term Hearing Outcome For Vestibular Schwannomas After Microsurgery And Radiotherapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: Hearing loss is a common symptom associated with vestibular schwannoma (VS), either because of the tumor's effects on the cochlear nerve or due to active treatments such as surgery or stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Treatment decisions for VS are based on factors including tumor size, hearing status, patient symptoms, and institutional preference. The study aimed to investigate long-term auditory outcomes in VS patients undergoing active treatments with a hearing preservation intent.

Post-traumatic Delayed Facial Nerve Palsy: Report of 2 Cases and Systematic Review.

Objective: Delayed facial nerve palsy (dFNP) secondary to head injury is definitely uncommon. Although the mechanism of immediate facial nerve paralysis is well-studied, its delayed presentation remains debated. Given the dearth of available information, we reported herein our experience with 2 cases of posttraumatic dFNP.

Iatrogenic Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak in Endoscopic Sinus Surgery: Topographical Map and Influence of Skull Base Asymmetry.

Background: Iatrogenic cerebrospinal fluid leak (iCSF-L) is a major complication of endonasal surgeries whose occurrence is always a potential adverse event due to anatomical variation/asymmetry of the skull base (SB). The aim of this manuscript is to provide a topographical map of iCSF-L and to investigate the role of SB asymmetry in iCSF-L occurrence.

Methods: In this retrospective study, the location of iCSF-L dural defect was studied and compared to patients affected by spontaneous and post-traumatic CSF-L.

Intraoperative Measurement of Insertion Speed in Cochlear Implant Surgery: A Preliminary Experience with Cochlear SmartNav.

Objectives: The objectives were to present the real-time estimated values of cochlear implant (CI) electrode insertion speed (IS) during intraoperative sessions using the Cochlear Nucleus SmartNav System to assess whether this measure affected CI outcomes and to determine whether real-time feedback assists expert surgeons in achieving slow insertion.

Methods: The IS was measured in 52 consecutive patients (65 implanted ears) using the CI632 electrode. The IS values were analyzed in relation to procedure repetition over time, NRT ratio, and CI audiological outcomes.

Facial Surface Electromyography: A Novel Approach to Facial Nerve Functional Evaluation after Vestibular Schwannoma Surgery.

Background: Vestibular schwannoma (VS) surgery may cause facial nerve damage. However, a comprehensive evaluation of post-operative facial outcomes may be difficult to achieve. Surface electromyography (sEMG) is a promising non-invasive evaluation tool.

Tumor budding to investigate local invasion, metastasis, and prognosis of head and neck carcinoma: A systematic review.

The aim of this systematic review is to shed light on the role of tumor budding (TB) in the biology, behavior, and prognosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). A search was run in PubMed, Scopus, and Embase databases following PRISMA guidelines. After full-text screening and application of inclusion/exclusion criteria, 36 articles were included.

Facial surface electromyography: A systematic review on the state of the art and current perspectives.

Purpose: Peripheral facial nerve palsy is a severely disabling condition. In current clinical practice, the commonest tools to assess facial palsy are grading scales, digital face image analyses or facial muscle electrophysiology. However, these techniques suffer from subjectivity or invasiveness and cannot be applied as part of a routine clinical assessment.

Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Therapeutic Role for Angiogenesis Markers in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Narrative Review.

Despite refinements to diagnostic and therapeutic approaches over the last two decades, the outcome of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has not shown substantial improvements, especially regarding those with advanced-stage disease. Angiogenesis is believed to be a turning point in the development of solid tumors, being a premise for mass growth and potential distant dissemination. Cancer-induced angiogenesis is a result of increased expression of angiogenic factors, decreased expression of anti-angiogenic factors, or a combination of both.

Tumor Microenvironment in Sporadic Vestibular Schwannoma: A Systematic, Narrative Review.

Although diagnosis and treatment of vestibular schwannomas (VSs) improved in recent years, no factors have yet been identified as being capable of predicting tumor growth. Molecular rearrangements occur in neoplasms before any macroscopic morphological changes become visible, and the former are the underlying cause of disease behavior. Tumor microenvironment (TME) encompasses cellular and non-cellular elements interacting together, resulting in a complex and dynamic key of tumorigenesis, drug response, and treatment outcome.

Chronic Otitis Media in Patients with Chronic Rhinosinusitis: A Systematic Review.

Chronic otitis media (COM) and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) are two of the most common otolaryngological disorders. CRS and COM share pathophysiological mechanisms such as bacterial infection, biofilm, and the persistence of the obstruction state of ventilation routes. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate all available information on the association between COM and CRS.

Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: Accumulating data indicate that patients with COVID-19 could be affected by sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). The aim of the study was to analyze the epidemiological and clinical trend of SSNHL occurrence during the COVID-19 pandemic by applying a systematic review and meta-analysis approach.

Methods: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Cochrane databases were searched.

Digging into the Role of Inflammatory Biomarkers in Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss Diagnosis and Prognosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

: Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSNHL) is a quite common clinical finding in otolaryngology. Most cases are classified as idiopathic and there is a dearth of information on factors able to predict the response to treatment and hearing recovery. The main aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess and critically discuss the role of circulating inflammatory biomarkers in SSNHL.