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The sinonasal structures and their adjacent organs host several functions including vision, olfaction, nasal respiration and filtration, secretory immunity, facial expression, articulation, and oral deglutition. We reviewed the current evidence supporting functional preservation in sinonasal cancer treatment. Primary surgery with or without adjuvant modalities continues to be the standard of care for sinonasal cancer. Unfortunately, functional compromise remains a dominant negative feature of this approach. More recently, through advances in therapeutic techniques and improved understanding of the relevant tumor biology, treatments aimed at preserving function and cosmesis are emerging. The evidence for such progress involving minimal access surgery, surgical reconstruction for rehabilitation, new techniques in radiation therapy, inclusion of systemic and locally enhanced chemotherapy, and therapeutic agents based on molecular targets are highlighted. This multi-prong approach bodes well for future patients with sinonasal cancer to undergo successful treatment that includes maximal preservation of associated functions., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

It is important to define the accuracy of fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in the diagnosis of Warthin tumor (WT). This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the accuracy of FNAC in the diagnosis of WT in the parotid gland and WT growth rate. For determination of FNAC accuracy, 17 studies, encompassing 1710 cases, were included. Pulled random model estimates of sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were 93.7% (95%CI: 92.1, 95.3), 97.9% (95%CI: 97, 98.9), 93.3% (95%CI: 91.5, 95.1), and 97.4% (95%CI: 96.4, 98.4), respectively. FNAC is highly reliable for the diagnosis of WT of the parotid. The high PPV value suggests that patients with a cytological diagnosis of WT of the parotid may be assigned to active surveillance., (© 2022 The Authors. Head & Neck published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the survival outcomes of head and neck cancer (HNC) by socioeconomic status., Methods: A national retrospective population-based cohort of HNC patients diagnosed in Israel between 2000 and 2017 was conducted. Site of residence and socioeconomic status were correlated with overall survival (OS), controlling for prognostic factors that included tumor site, stage, age, sex, and ethnic group., Results: Overall, 11 826 patients were identified. Patients from high socioeconomic areas had better overall 5-year survival than patients from low socioeconomic areas (p < 0.005). Patients in stage 3 from a high socioeconomic status had a longer median survival rate of 1.5 years than patients in the low-status group. In a cox proportional hazards analysis, we found age >65 (HR 2.91, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.75-3.09, p < 0.001) and low socioeconomic group (HR 1.25, 95% CI: 1.18-1.33, p < 0.001) to be correlated with inferior OS., Conclusion: Our findings show that patients with HNC living in low socioeconomic areas had worse OS., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Recent modifications in the management of well-differentiated thyroid cancer have resulted in significant alterations in clinical approach. Utilizing a series of preoperative and postoperative risk factors involving both the patient and the disease pathology, we offer the term "staged thyroidectomy" to help organize these risk factors for patients and the endocrine team to optimize management. This approach is intended to incorporate our latest nuanced understanding of certain endocrine pathology and may serve to optimize patient outcomes., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: The submandibular gland is commonly removed during neck dissection involving sublevel IB. However, removal reduces basal salivary secretion and therapeutic options for minimizing xerostomia. The purpose of this study was to determine whether all lymph nodes in sublevel IB can be extirpated without removing the submandibular gland., Methods: Twenty consecutive patients undergoing 33 neck dissections were prospectively enrolled. Sublevel IB dissection was performed by 3 sequential steps: (1) removal of targeted lymph node groups (preglandular and postglandular, prevascular and postvascular), (2) removal of submandibular gland, and (3) removal of residual lymphoadipose tissue in the surgical bed., Results: Complete removal of lymph nodes in sublevel IB was achieved before excising the submandibular gland in all of the 30 eligible neck dissections. The submandibular gland and the surgical bed contained no residual lymph nodes., Conclusion: In suitable cases, it is technically feasible to remove all lymph nodes in sublevel IB and preserve the submandibular gland., (Copyright © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Identifying patients with head and neck cancer at greatest risk of poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL) will facilitate screening for such patients and targeted interventions., Methods: This was a cross-sectional, self-administered survey with medical record review among 65 out-patients with head and neck cancer >6 months from diagnosis and off treatment., Results: Most were men (80%) and white (95%), with a mean age of 60 +/- 13 years. The most prevalent cancer type was squamous cell (88%), site was pharyngeal (40%), and stage was III or IV (80%). Lower total HRQOL was independently associated with gastrostomy (p < .001) and history of radiation therapy (p < .05)(R(2) = 0.27). Certain HRQOL subscales were also independently associated with depression, body mass index, age, and education., Conclusions: Several factors can be used to identify patients with head and neck cancer at risk for persistent reductions in HRQOL requiring intervention.

Background: Ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (Ubc9) is a novel enzyme involved in posttranslational modification of cellular proteins. The objective of this study was to determine the expression of Ubc9 in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN)., Methods: SCCHN specimens were stained with anti-Ubc9 antibodies, scored using a semiquantitative method, and statistically analyzed., Results: Forty-six tumors were stained, 26 of which included adjacent mucosa. Ubc9 was significantly upregulated in the malignant and peritumoral tissues compared with mucosa from normal individuals. In peritumoral tissues, Ubc9 expression was detected in the basal and suprabasal epithelial layers. No Ubc9 was detected in epithelial cells in normal mucosa. These differences in Ubc9 expression were statistically significant (p < .0001). Tumor Ubc9 expression significantly correlated with clinical and pathologic stage., Conclusions: Ubc9 is significantly overexpressed in the primary SCCHN tumors and peritumoral mucosa compared with normal epithelial cells. These findings suggest that Ubc9 may play an important role in tumorigenesis and tumor progression of SCCHN.