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Desmoid tumors are rare formations of fibroblastic origin thought benign and slow growing, but could be aggressive in behaviour invading the surrounding areas. The aim of this report is to present a case of a patient with desmoid tumor located in anterior cervical region mimicking malignant formation. A 69-year-old female patient with previous history of surgery due to multinodular goiter as well as primary hyperparathyroidism caused by parathyroid adenoma was scheduled to ultrasound of the neck due to hoarseness. Ultrasound revealed extremely hard, isoechoic, poorly defined nodule with calcification in thyroid bed suggestive of malignant tissue. The finding of fine needle aspiration cytology report showed rare spindle cells but was inconclusive. Other imaging techniques like computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging were suggestive for paraganglioma or parathyroid adenoma, but another etiology could not be ruled out with certainty and complete surgical resection was recommended. Pathology report was consistent with fibromatosis, leading to the final diagnosis of extra-abdominal desmoid tumor. Although desmoid tumor is generally a benign disease, it can sometimes be locally aggressive invading the surrounding tissue and mimicking the picture of a malignant process with difficulties to remove surgically, as in our case. Moreover, even after complete excision, recurrence of the disease often occurs that should be kept in mind and such patients should be monitored periodically.

Follow-up of laryngeal carcinoma patients is considered to be the important part of their care. The main purpose of follow-up is to early detect potential disease recurrence and second primary tumous, besides assessment of treatment effectiveness and rehabilitation. There is still no definitive guideline based on the data of survival rates, and our aim is to summarize current guidelines and recommendations based on current recommendations and our experience. A review of the literature regarding follow-up and rehabilitation of laryngeal cancer patients was made. Our considerations are based on critical appraisal of the current literature and clinical evidence. Staging is based on the current UICC (Union for International Cancer Control) laryngeal cancer TNM Classification. The parts of follow-up that we discussed in this review include the duration, frequency and setting of the visits, and imaging regarding the mode of treatment (surgery and/or chemoradiotherapy). One of the most important segments of follow-up is patient’s education about potential recurrence or second primary tumor signs and symptoms. Large prospective and retrospective studies remain to be undertaken for the current recommendations and practices to be properly evaluated for survival rates.

The aim of this study was to demonstrate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the number and characteristics of head and neck cancer patients in two consecutive periods, pre-pandemic and pandemic. For this purpose, we performed a retrospective analysis of patients with primary carcinomas of head and neck mucosal sites, salivary gland tumors, as well as neck metastases. Two pre-COVID-19 years (2018-2019) and two pandemic years (2020-2021) were compared. Demographic data, overall number of patients, TNM classification of the two most affected sites (oral cavity and larynx), time from symptom onset to first outpatient admission to our department, and time from first admission to treatment initiation were noted. Study results revealed a higher number of patients during the pandemic period and difference in the distribution of tumor sites (χ2=33.68, df=9, p

Laryngeal carcinoma is one of the most common tumors of the head and neck, just after skin cancer. Alongside open surgery, transoral endoscopic laser surgery (TOLS) has become widespread as a treatment method. Our aim was to assess the efficacy of transoral laser cordectomy in a group of patients with early glottic carcinoma. We retrospectively analyzed data on 131 patients who underwent TOLS in the 2017-2021 period. We divided patients into groups according to tumor stage and type of cordectomy performed, and compared outcomes between the groups. Our results revealed a higher number of patients in the group with Tis and T1a than in those with T1b and T2 who underwent type III cordectomy, and also a higher number of those for whom outpatient follow-ups were sufficient after surgery in the same group. We did not observe significant difference in outcomes according to cordectomy type except for type V (a-d), where a higher number of patients had to undergo radiotherapy. This study underlines the importance of careful patient selection for TOLS, as well as the need for close cooperation with pathology and radiology specialists to ensure optimal approach and extent of surgery for each individual patient. It also displayed TOLS as a sound therapeutic option for early stages of glottic carcinoma but also indicated the need for similar studies in a larger number of patients to elucidate the effectiveness in certain glottis areas.

Aim: The aim of this study was to show changes in the work of the Ear, Nose, Throat and Head and Neck Surgery Department, UHC Zagreb, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We retrospectively extracted and compared the data on the procedures and diagnoses of the Department during the period from January 1st to April 30th in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Results: The total number of cases was lower by 34.2% in 2020, and by 13.19% in 2021, compared to 2019 (p

The most obvious indication for thyroid surgery is malignancy, but other indications are also not rare. As with any other surgical procedure, those surgeries also carry risks which can be classified as minor or major. Discussion: In this overview, we present minor (seroma, scarring) and major complications of thyroid surgery (recurrent nerve injury, hypoparathyroidism, and bleeding). We discuss the possibilities of prevention and treatment of each of those complications. Conclusion: In recent years, thyroid surgery is becoming safer due to the development of new surgical, hemostatic, and other techniques such as intraoperative monitoring of the recurrent laryngeal nerve and parathyroid gland detection.

OBJECTIVES:Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common malignancy worldwide. Main HNSCC risk factors are tobacco, alcohol, and high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV+ oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer (OPSCC) usually have different etiology, increasing incidence and often show an improved survival when compared to HPV-negative cases. The objective of the current study was to retrospectively examine the influence of HPV on the survival of OPSCC patients in a non-Western population setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS:We determined the presence of HPV DNA and/or RNA in 99 formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue samples of OPSCC patients treated between 2002 and 2015. Patients were compared based on laboratory, demographic, clinical, life style characteristics and survival. RESULTS:HPV RNA was found in 29.3% cases. However, groups based on HPV data (either RNA, DNA or retrospectively collected p16 staining) did not show significant differences. Overall, 5-year survival was 30% with minimal influence of the HPV positivity. CONCLUSIONS:The HPV influence on survival of OPSCC patients is not identical between populations probably due to other factors overshadowing the HPV effect. This should be taken into account when treatment or policy decisions are made in each particular setting.