"Skip Metastases" from Head and Neck Cancers

Prognostic analysis of lymph node ratio of patients with disease recurrence previously submitted to cervical dissection surgery for head and neck cancer

INTRODUCTION

the variable lymph node ratio has recently been studied as a possible influencer in the survival of patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer.

OBJECTIVE

to analyze the correlation between lymph node density and survival of recurred disease patients previously submitted to cervical dissection surgery due to head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

METHOD

we retrospectively analyzed 71 medical records of patients treated at the Head and Neck Surgery Service of the Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Campinas who had undergone cervical dissection surgery and presented tumor recurrence between 2006 and 2019. Patient and tumor data such as age, gender, skin color, smoking, alcohol consumption, location of the primary tumor, anatomopathological characteristics and lymph node status were correlated with the survival time.

RESULTS

we found a predominance of males and the mean age was 59.5 years. The most frequent primary site was the oral cavity followed by the larynx and oropharynx. The mortality rate was 53.52% and the mean lymph node ratio 0.28. We found influence on survival with statistical significance for the parameters: lymph node ratio, number of dissected and affected lymph nodes, T and N staging, type of treatment proposed (palliative or surgical), presence of compromited margins in the primary tumor and lymph node extravasation.

CONCLUSION

the calculation of lymph node density in patients with recurred disease after cervical dissection surgery by head and neck squamous cell carcinoma should be taken into account during therapeutic planning and prognostic evaluation due to its direct influence on the survival.

Análise prognóstica da densidade linfonodal de pacientes recidivados previamente submetidos à cirurgia de esvaziamento cervical por neoplasia de cabeça e pescoço

RESUMO Introdução: recentemente tem-se estudado a variável densidade linfonodal como possível influenciador na sobrevida de pacientes com diagnóstico de câncer de cabeça e pescoço. Objetivo: analisar a relação entre a densidade linfonodal e a sobrevida de pacientes recidivados previamente submetidos a cirurgia de esvaziamento cervical por carcinoma espinocelular de cabeça e pescoço. Método: foram analisados retrospectivamente 71 prontuários pacientes atendidos no Serviço de Cirurgia de Cabeça e Pescoço da Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Campinas que tinham sido submetidos a cirurgia de esvaziamento cervical e apresentaram recidiva tumoral entre os anos de 2006 e 2019. Dados relativos ao paciente e ao tumor tais como: idade, sexo, cor da pele, tabagismo, etilismo, localização do tumor primário, características anatomopatológicas e status linfonodal foram correlacionados ao tempo de sobrevida dos indivíduos. Resultados: encontramos predominância do sexo masculino e a média de idade foi de 59,5 anos. O sítio primário mais frequente foi a cavidade oral seguido da laringe e orofaringe. A taxa de mortalidade foi de 53,52% e a densidade linfonodal média 0,28. Encontramos influência na sobrevida com significância estatística para os parâmetros: densidade linfonodal, número de linfonodos dissecados e acometidos, estadiamento T e N, tipo de tratamento proposto (paliativo ou cirúrgico), presença de margens comprometidas no tumor primário e extravasamento linfonodal. Conclusão: o cálculo da densidade linfonodal em pacientes recidivados após cirurgia de esvaziamento cervical por carcinoma espinocelular de cabeça e pescoço deve ser levado em consideração durante o planejamento terapêutico e na avaliação prognóstica devido à sua direta influencia na sobrevida dos indivíduos.

Surgical anatomy of the lymphatic drainage of the salivary glands: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Nodal metastasis in salivary gland malignancies has important clinical implications; a good understanding of their complex anatomy is paramount to the head and neck surgeon.

METHODS

A contemporary and comprehensive literature review was conducted of the lymphatic drainage of the salivary glands, with special emphasis on its surgical applications.

RESULTS

The parotid gland has extraglandular and intraglandular nodes acting as a single functional drainage unit. Intraglandular parotid notes are unique to the parotid gland, and consist of a larger superficial group and a smaller deep group. The presence of intraglandular submandibular nodes, as described by early anatomists, is much debated nowadays. The sublingual glands drain to the lingual lymph nodes, which are divided into median, intermediate and lateral groups.

CONCLUSION

This review highlights the complex arrangements of lymph nodes draining the salivary glands. It may provide a valid anatomical explanation for the nodal metastasis patterns commonly seen in salivary gland malignancy.

Clinical Spectrum, Pattern, and Level-Wise Nodal Involvement Among Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients - Audit of 945 Oral Cancer Patient Data

Oral Squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a locoregionally aggressive malignancy. Timely management of neck node dissemination, an important prognostic factor, impacts survival. The aim of the current study was to obtain comprehensive data on patterns or level-wise involvement of neck nodes to optimize neck management in OSCC. It was a retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database in a hospital-based setting. The current study evaluated patterns of spread to neck nodes in 945 pathologically proven OSCC patients who underwent neck dissection between 1995 and 2013. Clinical, surgical, pathological, level-wise information of neck nodes was available, and records of these patients were analyzed in relation to the pattern of involvement. Absolute/relative frequency distribution was used to describe the distribution of categorical variables. Continuous measures were organized as mean (standard deviation) and/or median (range). Buccal mucosa (28.78%) was the most common, whereas lip (5.08%) was the least common oral subsite. Modified neck dissection (69.75%) was the most common type of neck dissection. Pathological node positivity was documented in 39.8% patients and Level I(62.54%) and level II(57.33%) are the most common neck levels for nodal involvement. Involvement of Level III to V was seen less often (7.17%). There was no significant association between node positivity among different subsites of oral cancer. Neck level I and II are the most commonly involved levels. Sensitivity and specificity of clinical assessment are 83.51% and 30.05%, respectively. In view of this void in clinical assessment and a predictable nodal spread, alternate node assessment methodology must be explored.

Predictive Factors for Lateral Lymph Node Metastasis and Skip Metastasis in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

In papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) patients, cervical lymph node metastases are common, which disseminate sequentially from the central neck to the lateral neck. However, there is also a chaotic pattern of lymph node metastasis occasionally. In this study, we summarized 653 PTC patients who underwent thyroidectomy and central lymph node dissection with or without lateral lymph node dissection from two hospitals to investigate the pattern and risk factors of lateral lymph node metastasis (LLNM) and skip metastasis. LLNM was significantly associated tumor size > 1 cm, presence of extrathyroidal extension, tumors in the upper-lateral pole, and the number of metastatic lymph nodes in the central compartment. The frequency of skip metastasis was 22.5% (20 of 89 patients). Multivariate analyses showed tumor size ≤ 1 cm, and tumors in the upper-lateral pole were separately and independently associated with the risk of skip metastasis. Presence of LLNM affected the recurrence-free survival (RFS). RFS did not show the significantly difference between patients with LLNM and skip metastasis. Despite the low incidence of skip metastasis, attention should be paid to the possibility of LLNM even in the absence of central lymph node metastases. Besides, for patients with risk factors of LLNM or skip metastasis, detailed preoperative examination for the lateral compartment, especially the level III, is essential.

Metabolic profiling detects field effects in nondysplastic tissue from esophageal cancer patients

The variable rate of missed cancer in endoscopic biopsies and lack of other biomarkers reduce the effectiveness of surveillance programs in esophageal cancer. Based on the "field cancerization" hypothesis that tumors arise within a transformed field with an altered biochemical phenotype, we sought to test if metabolic profiling could differentiate between histologically normal tissue from individuals with and without esophageal cancer. Thirty-five patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma and 52 age-matched controls participated in the study. Using 1H magic angle spinning-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of intact tissue, we generated metabolic profiles of tumor tissue, proximal histologically normal mucosa from cancer patients (PHINOM), and proximal histologically normal mucosa from a control group. Using multivariate regression and receiver-operator characteristic analysis, we identified a panel of metabolites discriminating malignant and histologically normal tissues from cancer patients and from that of controls. Whereas 26% and 12% of the spectral profile regions were uniquely discriminating tumor or control tissue, respectively, 5% of the profile exhibited a significant progressive change in signal intensity from controls to PHINOM to tumor. Regions identified were assigned to phosphocholine (PC), glutamate (Glu), myo-inositol, adenosine-containing compounds, uridine-containing compounds, and inosine. In particular, the PC/Glu ratio in histologically normal tissue signified the presence of esophageal cancer (n=123; area under the curve, 0.84; P<0.001). In conclusion, our findings support the hypothesis of the presence of metabonomic field effects in esophageal cancer, even in non-Barrett's segments. This indicates that metabolic profiling of tissue can potentially play a role in the surveillance of cancer by reporting on the phenotypic consequences of field cancerization.

FDG-PET in the clinically negative neck in oral squamous cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

With improved diagnostic imaging techniques, it remains difficult to reduce occult metastatic disease in oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) to less than 20%. Therefore, supraomohyoid neck dissection (SOHND) still is a valuable staging procedure in these patients.

METHODS

Patients with clinically and ultrasonographically staged cN0 SCC of the oral cavity underwent FDG-PET before SOHND. Histologic examination of neck dissection specimens was used as a "gold standard."

RESULTS

Twenty-eight consecutive patients were included, representing 30 necks. Occult metastatic disease was found in 30% of SOHND specimens. Average diameter of metastatic deposits was 4.3 mm. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of FDG-PET was 33%, 76%, and 63%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with cN0 SCC of the oral cavity, FDG-PET does not contribute to the preoperative workup. FDG-PET does not replace SOHND as a staging procedure.

Sentinel node biopsy and head and neck tumors—Where do we stand today?

BACKGROUND

Sentinel lymph node sampling may be studied profitably in series of patients with 1 tumor type, such as breast carcinoma, in 1 anatomic locale. The present work analyzes the efficacy of sentinel node sampling in a pathologically diverse group of lesions from an anatomically diverse region such as the head and neck; however, there are risks conflating the findings in different tumors with radically different behaviors, in the process producing muddled data. This report reviews the head and neck experience with sentinel sampling and concludes that certain tumor types that have a known propensity for aggressive behavior are the best candidates for trials employing sentinel node sampling; candidates include many cutaneous melanomas of the head and neck, oropharyngeal squamous carcinomas, and selected thyroid carcinomas. Despite the growing popularity of sentinel node sampling in a variety of regions of the body, however, at this juncture this technique remains an investigational procedure, pending demonstration of a tangible improvement in patient outcome through its use. It is recommended that studies of the efficacy of this technique strive, whenever possible, to segregate results of different tumor types in different head and neck locales from one another so as to produce more focused findings for discrete types of malignancies, and not group together tumor types that may in reality exhibit different biological behaviors.