Neoadjuvant and Adjuvant Pembrolizumab in Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer.

Background: The benefit of the addition of perioperative pembrolizumab to standard care with surgery and adjuvant therapy for patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous-cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is unclear.

Methods: In this phase 3, open-label trial, we randomly assigned participants with locally advanced HNSCC in a 1:1 ratio to receive 2 cycles of neoadjuvant pembrolizumab and 15 cycles of adjuvant pembrolizumab (both at a dose of 200 mg every 3 weeks) in addition to standard care (pembrolizumab group) or standard care alone (control group). Standard care was surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy with or without concomitant cisplatin.

Contralateral Transmaxillary Approach for a 13-Year-Old Boy with a Petrous Apex Cholesterol Granuloma: A Case Report.

Introduction: Surgical extirpation of a cholesterol granuloma in the petrous apex, located dorsal to the petrous part of the internal carotid artery (ICA), is challenging. Herein, we report a pediatric case of a cholesterol granuloma of the petrous apex treated using the endoscopic contralateral transmaxillary (CTM) approach.

Case Presentation: A 13-year-old boy presented with a left-sided headache, slight hypoesthesia in the left V1 area, and severe neuralgia of the left auriculotemporal nerve.

Ligand-Receptor Interactions Between Squamous and Endothelial Cells Induce Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Advances in narrowband imaging (NBI) have revealed that squamous epithelial lesions form alongside changes in squamous epithelial cells and intrapapillary capillary loops (IPCLs) in the head and neck. However, the molecular interactions between squamous epithelial cells and endothelial cells (ECs) that promote IPCL proliferation are unclear. This study aimed to identify the mechanisms of cooperation between parenchymal squamous cells and stromal IPCLs during the formation of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

Clinical outcomes of recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer after failure of platinum and nivolumab: a multicenter retrospective study.

Background: Platinum and anti-PD-1 antibodies are the front-line systemic therapy for recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (RM-HNSCC). However, limited data are available on clinical outcomes and appropriate regimens for patients with RM-HNSCC following treatment failure with these agents.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of patients with RM-HNSCC from 10 Japanese institutions in whom platinum and nivolumab treatment failed.

Clinicopathological Significance of Extranodal Extension in Hypopharyngeal and Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Background: The AJCC cutoff value of 2 mm for the extranodal extension (ENE) distance was determined from an analysis of patients with or without adjuvant therapy. The purpose of this study was to find out the ENE distance that reflects prognosis only in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) who received adjuvant therapy.

Methods: The ENE distance was defined for 109 patients who underwent surgery for SCC of larynx or hypopharynx as a primary tumor.

Significance of adding chemotherapy to radiotherapy in the treatment of T2N0 glottic cancer.

The prognosis for T2N0 glottic squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is generally favorable, with a 5-year overall survival rate of 79%-96% achieved with radiotherapy (RT), the standard nonsurgical treatment for this condition. However, the local control rate for T2N0 glottic SCC treated with RT remains suboptimal, with a 5-year local control rate of only 65%-80%. Local residual disease or recurrence following RT for T2N0 glottic SCC often leads to difficulties in laryngeal preservation.

Factors Related to Blood Loss During Endoscopic Sinus Surgery.

Background: The safety and efficacy of endoscopic sinus surgery have improved with the development of new equipment and improved surgical techniques. However, it is accompanied by the risk of complications. Intraoperative blood loss is an important factor in the safe conduct of surgery.

Role of Hematological Markers in Recurrent/Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Treated With Pembrolizumab.

Background/aim: The predictive role of hematological markers in patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (R/M SCCHN) treated with pembrolizumab remains unclear.

Patients And Methods: We conducted a multicenter retrospective cohort study to investigate the predictive impact of the pre-treatment hematological markers neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), CRP-albumin-lymphocyte (CALLY) index, and the modified Glasgow prognostic score (mGPS) on overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with R/M SCCHN treated with pembrolizumab. From December 2019 to February 2022, 119 and 28 patients were treated with pembrolizumab alone and pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy, respectively.

Esophagectomy for esophageal cancer in patients with a history of total pharyngolaryngectomy: a Japanese nationwide retrospective cohort study.

Background: Second primary esophageal cancer often develops in patients with head and neck cancer, and esophagectomy in patients with a history of total pharyngolaryngectomy (TPL) is challenging. However, the clinical outcomes of these patients have yet to be examined in a multicenter setting.

Methods: We evaluated the surgical outcomes of a nationwide cohort of 62 patients who underwent esophagectomy for esophageal cancer with a history of TPL.

Clinical benefits of combining oral cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents with radiotherapy in patients with T2N0 glottic squamous cell carcinoma based on the reports of the Head and Neck Cancer Registry of Japan.

Background: T2N0 glottic squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) typically responds well to radiotherapy (RT); however, achieving local control remains challenging. In cases of RT failure, total laryngectomy may be necessary. Improved local control and preservation of the larynx directly enhances patients' quality of life.

Factors related to the surgical outcomes of type I tympanoplasty for tympanic membrane perforation in children.

Background: Factors related to surgical outcomes of type I tympanoplasty for tympanic membrane (TM) perforation in children are controversial.

Objectives: To investigate factors related to anatomical results of type I tympanoplasty for TM perforation 1 year after surgery.

Material And Methods: We examined 68 ears.

Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) in Japan: procedures, advantages and current status.

Transoral robotic surgery (TORS), introduced by Weinstein et al. in 2005, has been widely adopted as a minimally invasive procedure, particularly for the treatment of patients with early stage oropharyngeal cancer. TORS is typically performed using the da Vinci Surgical System, similar to robot-assisted surgeries for other malignancies.

Risk factors of secondary cancer in laryngeal, oropharyngeal, or hypopharyngeal cancer after definitive therapy.

Background: Our previous research showed that a high rate of secondary carcinogenesis is observed during follow-up after transoral surgery in patients with early-stage laryngeal, oropharyngeal, and hypopharyngeal cancers. We speculate that the contributing factors are alcohol drinking, smoking, and aging; however, we could not provide clear evidence. In this study, we aimed to identify the risk factors for secondary carcinogenesis in patients with these cancers, particularly factors associated with drinking and/or smoking.

Pre-treatment Tumor Size and Tumor Growth Rate as Prognostic Predictors for Patients With Recurrent/Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck Treated With Nivolumab.

Background/aim: The prognosis of recurrent/metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (R/M SCCHN) is poor, although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), such as nivolumab, have been shown to prolong survival. We investigated the factors that predict the efficacy of nivolumab when selecting an appropriate treatment strategy for patients with R/M SCCHN.

Patients And Methods: Forty-four Japanese patients with R/M SCCHN treated with nivolumab between May 2017 and October 2021 were analyzed.

Impact of lymph node ratio and number of lymph node metastases on survival and recurrence in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Introduction: The aim of this study is to assess the impact of lymph node ratio (LNR) and number of positive lymph nodes (NPLN) on mortality and recurrence rates in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a retrospective multicenter international study involving 24 Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery divisions. Disease-specific survival (DSS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were evaluated as the main outcomes.