Versatility of Submental Island Flap in N0 Neck in Oral Malignancies- A Retrospective Analysis of 50 Cases

Submental flap is a gaining popularity as a reconstruction of orofacial defects in post-ablative defects, especially in situations where free flap services are not available or feasible. The background of this study was to demonstrate the oncological safety and benefits of this flap in oral cavity reconstruction. A retrospective analysis of 50 patients from the age group 28 to 70 years with oral cavity cancers of different subsites, who underwent submental flap reconstruction from 2018 to 2022 at our hospital for various ablative defects of oral cavity, were included in the study. We have reviewed the parameters like flap complications, post-operative mouth opening after 1 year and nodal recurrence. There were 37 males and 13 females patients in the study. 29(58%) patients had buccal cancers, 11(22%) patients had tongue cancer, 7(14%) patients had retromolar trigone cancer and 3(6%) had gingivo-buccal cancers. All patients underwent resection with ipsilateral selective neck dissection after flap was harvested. Complete flap loss was observed in 1(2%) patient, whereas as the flap dehiscence was seen in 3(6%) patients. Mean follow-up was 12 months. There were 3(6%) cases of nodal recurrence on the same side of flap after a mean time of 5 months of surgery. Inter-Incisal mouth opening was 20-30 mm in 68% of the cases. On the 1 year follow-up, all the patients were alive with no mortality. Oncologic outcome in terms of overall survival was found to be 94% in patients reconstructed with submental flap which makes it versatile for oral cavity reconstructions. Submental flap is a robust flap for oral cavity reconstruction. However, preoperative selection of clinically neck node-negative patient is extremely important as it has potential risk of occult metastasis and oncologic safety.

Regional Nodal Recurence as a Prognostic Factor in Patients Kept on Observation for cT1-T2 Oral Squamous Cell Carcinomas of Tongue: A Meta-Analysis of 11,973 Patients

The surgical management of the clinically node negative neck in T1-T2 early oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) has been the topic of debate since few decades. As the occult cervical lymph node metastasis is considered to be the primary prognostic factor in early OTSCC, this meta-analysis has been carried out to find the risk of regional nodal recurrence on patients kept under observation than those who have underwent Elective neck dissection (END). The articles were electronically retrieved from Ovid Medline, PubMed, Cochrane and Scholar for comparison of Observation versus END in early OTSCC. The search strategy identified 35 relevant review articles from April 1979 to April 2020 from different search engines. A total of 11,973 patients from 30 retrospective analyses, 4 prospective and 1 randomized control trials were included in this meta-analysis. Overall test revealed (OR: 13.02 95% CI 1.360-17.154) with t test 2.382 and p value 0.023 which is statistically significant and showed that END significantly reduced the risk of regional nodal recurrence. This meta-analysis finds that there is statistically significant relationship when END was performed which reduced the risk of regional nodal recurrence as seen in patients kept on Observation thereby affecting the Overall survival (OS) rate.

Association of Surgical Margins and Pathological Staging with Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Expression in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma- A Prospective Cohort Study

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is one among the most frequent cancers across the globe. The postoperative overall survival (OS) has not improved over years much despite of advanced surgical techniques and various anticancer drugs. A better and good understanding of molecular mechanisms and identification of potential oncogenes in OSCC may provide new therapeutic decisions such as target therapy in management of these cancer patients. To find whether there is any association between surgical margins and pathological staging with epidermal growth factor receptor expression affecting the prognosis in oral squamous cell carcinomas. A prospective cohort study was performed in 25 patients with biopsy proven oral squamous cell carcinoma who presented to our hospital from July 2017 to June 2019. The data collected from their report were pTNM staging, surgical margins (anterior, posterior, superior and inferior) and scoring of EGFR expression. Surgical margins with EGFR expression was found to have p-value of 0.023 and pTNM staging with EGFR expression was found to have p-value of 0.051 which were statistically significant. This study concludes that there is strong association of EGFR expression with pTNM and surgical margins which may influence the prognosis of the patient. This study helps us to understand the need of adding EGFR targets like cetuximab along with radiation instead of conventional cisplatin therapy.

Incorporating the epidermal growth factor receptor expression and histopathological parameters in a mathematical model to predict the prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma: a prospective observational cohort study

Background

Oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) are the most common type of variant causing oral cancers, contributing for around 90%. The overall survival of these patients is below 50%. The postoperative overall survival (OS) has not improved over years much despite of advanced surgical techniques and invention of various anticancer drugs. There was always a requirement for a non-invasive molecular marker to predict the prognosis of these patients. The epidermal growth factor and their receptors are not only thought to play a critical but also an influential role in growth of the cell and differentiation in normal/ healthy tissues. They also play an important role in malignant progression of disease and tumorigenesis. A better and sound understanding of mechanisms at molecular level and identification of potential oncogenes in OSCC may provide innovative therapeutic decisions such as targeted therapy in management of these cancer patients.

Aim & objectives

The aim of this study is to check whether epidermal growth factor expression is a prognosticator in oral squamous cell carcinoma and also to propose a mathematical model to find the prognosis of the patients which have not been done so far in the literature.

Materials & methods

The study was a prospective cohort study with 25 patients who had biopsy proven OSCC who reported to our hospital from July 2017 to June 2019. The data collected from their histopathological report for this prospective study and model were: surgical margins (superior, inferior, anterior and posterior), depth of tumor, lymph nodal metastasis, lymphovascular invasion and scoring of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression done by immunohistochemistry (IHC) on wax blocks.

Results

EGFR expression on surgical margins was found to have a p-value of 0.023 which was significant statistically. EGFR expression showed a statistically significant p value 0.002 as independent marker in prognosis with sensitivity of 97.7% and specificity of 61.2%. The tumor depth of infiltration showed an insignificant correlation with pathological Tumor, Node, Metastasis (TNM) staging with a p value of 0.860. A mathematical model linear regression equation was proposed which predicted a cutoff value above 16, the prognosis of the patient being bad (Stages III and IV), and below 16, the prognosis of the patient being good (Stages I and II).

Conclusion

This study put forward a proposed mathematical model by incorporating all important parameters to predict the prognosis of the patients. EGFR expression is one such important parameter to be considered to develop anti-EGFR agents to improve the OS of the patients.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12663-022-01797-0.

Elective Neck Dissection Versus Observation in cT1-T2 Oral Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Meta-Analysis of 11,973 Patients

The surgical management of the clinical negative neck node in early oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) has been the topic of debate since few decades. As the occult cervical lymph node metastasis is considered to be the prime prognostic factor in early OTSCC, this meta-analysis has been carried out to find the risk of regional nodal recurrence, disease specific survival and overall survival rates in outcome of Elective neck dissection (END) versus patients under observation. The articles were electronically retrieved from Ovid Medline, PubMed, Cochrane and Scholar for comparison of END versus Observation in early OTSCC. The search strategy identified 37 relevant review articles from April 1979 to April 2020 from different search engines. A total of 11,973 patients from 32 retrospective analysis, 4 prospective and 1 randomised control trial were included in this meta-analysis. Statistical analysis revealed Overall test (OR: 5.31 95% CI: - 2.132-14.698) with t-test 1.919 and p value 0.113 which is not statistically significant but the readings says that there is always better Disease specific survival with END patients rather than patients kept on observation. Overall test revealed (OR: 13.02 95% CI: 1.360-17.154) with t test 2.382 and p value 0.023 which is statistically significant and showed that End significantly reduced the risk of regional nodal recurrence. Overall test revealed (OR: 7.93 95% CI: - 15.461-4.238) with t test - 1.347 and p value 0.220 which is statistically insignificant and but showed that to some extent Overall survival improves in patient with END than the patients kept on observation. This meta-analysis find that there is statistically significant relationship when Elective neck dissection was performed which reduced the risk of regional nodal recurrence. This analysis didn't statistically find any significance in Disease specific survival and Overall survival with Elective neck dissection patients rather than patients kept on observation but however showed good prognosis when elective neck dissection was performed.

Transoral versus extraoral approach for mandibular angle fractures: A comparative study

INTRODUCTION

Mandibular fractures represent approximately two-thirds of all the maxillofacial fractures (nearly 70%) out of which fractures of mandibular angle represent for 26-35%.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The aim of this study is to compare the transoral and extraoral (submandibular) approaches for fixation of mandibular angle fractures.

OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

The objectives of the following study are to evaluate ease of accessibility, time taken for the procedure, ease of anatomic reduction and complications.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A prospective study was carried out in 30 patients reporting to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery, Narayana Dental College and Hospital, Nellore, Andhra Pradesh during the period of months from November 2011 to August 2013 who were randomly divided in two groups based on computer generated simple randomization chart. Group I patients underwent transoral reduction and fixation and Group II patients underwent extraoral reduction and fixation. The ease of accessibility was analysed by visual analogue scale by the operating surgeon, time taken from incision to closure with digital clock, difficulty level index of surgeon based on the time taken for the procedure and approach related complications.

RESULTS

The ease of accessibility in Group I was good in 53.3% while in Group II patients approached extraorally it was good in 86.7%. Group I patients approached transorally showed a mean of 49.7 min while that of Group II patients approached extraorally showed a mean of 73.4 min. Group I had a minimum difficulty level index in 60%, moderate difficulty level in 33.3% and severe difficulty level in 6.7% while Group II had a minimum and moderate difficulty level in 46.7% and severe difficulty level in 6.7%. There was 1 (6.7%) complication reported in each group.

CONCLUSION

The statistical analysis of this study concludes that fracture line starting anterior to mandibular third molar and ending at anteroinferior border of the insertion of the masseter muscle or posterior body of mandible can be approached transorally. Fracture line starting posterior or distal to the third molar or posterior to the insertion of the masseter muscle to the angle of the mandible or fracture line extending high in the ramus, extraoral approach provides a better choice for reduction and fixation of the fractured segments with restoration of anatomical and functional occlusion.

Central chondrosarcoma of a pediatric mandibular condyle: A case report and review

Chondrosarcoma of mandibular condyle is an extremely rare clinical entity with only 18 cases reported till date. We report a rare case of central myxoid chondrosarcoma in a 7 year old male child with a complaint of slow growing bony hard swelling of left mandibular condyle. Panoramic radiography and CT scan revealed a 5×3cm osteosclerotic and osteolytic lesion with cortical perforation on the medial side of the left mandibular condyle with a cortical expansion of lateral side. Segmental mandibulectomy with disarticulation of the left condyle was done. To the best of our knowledge it is the first case of chondrosarcoma of the paediatric mandibular condyle to be reported. The etiopathogenesis, clinical, radiological diagnosis and various treatment modalities of chondrosarcoma are discussed.