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Objectives/hypothesis: Follow-up care in head and neck cancers (HNC) is critical in managing patient health. However, social determinants of health (SDOH) can create difficulties in maintaining follow-up care. The study goal is to explore how SDOH impacts maintenance of HNC follow-up care appointments., Methods: A systematic retrospective chart review of 877 HNC patients diagnosed in the past 10 years a safety-net tertiary care hospital with systems to help reduce care disparities. Cohort groups were identified and compared against protocols for follow-up. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance, chi-square tests, Fisher's exact tests, two-sample t-tests, and simple linear regression., Results: The average length of follow-up time in months and average total number of follow-ups over 5 years were 32.96 (34.60) and 9.24 (7.87), respectively. There was no significant difference in follow-up care between United States (US) versus non-US born and English versus non-English speaking patients. Race/ethnicity, county median household income, insurance status, and county educational attainment were not associated with differences in follow-up. However, living a greater distance from the hospital was associated with lower follow-up length and less frequency in follow-up (P < .0001)., Conclusion: While income, primary language, country of birth, race/ethnicity, insurance status, and markers of educational attainment do not appear to impact HNC follow-up at our safety-net, tertiary care institution, and distance from hospital remains an important contributor to disparities in care. This study shows that many barriers to care can be addressed in a model that addresses SDOH, but there are barriers that still require additional systems and resources. Laryngoscope, 132:1022-1028, 2022., (© 2021 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

Background: This study compares select social determinants of health (SDOH) with treatment modality selection and treatment completion in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients, to better understand disparities in health outcomes., Methods: A retrospective cohort study of HNC (n = 1428) patients was conducted. Demographic and disease-specific variables were recorded, including treatment modality selection and completion. Data were analyzed using two-sample t tests, chi-square, and Fisher's exact tests., Results: Primary language was significantly associated with treatment choice, where non-English speakers were less likely to choose treatment as recommended by the Tumor Board. Lower mean distance from the hospital (37.38 [48.31] vs. 16.92 [19.10], p < 0.0001) and a county-based higher mean percentage of bachelor degree or higher education (42.16 [8.82] vs. 44.95 [6.19], p < 0.0003) were associated with treatment selection., Conclusion: Language, distance from the hospital, and education affected treatment selection in this study and may be useful in understanding how to counsel patients on treatment selection for HNC., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Purpose: To evaluate incorporation of National Cancer Comprehensive Network (NCCN) guidelines in decision making at a head and neck cancer (HNC) multidisciplinary tumor board (MDT) at an urban academic medical center., Methods and Materials: A retrospective study of 176 HNC patients was performed. The extent to which MDT decisions and subsequent patient care incorporate NCCN guidelines was evaluated., Results: A total of 173 (98.3%) HNC patients received MDT recommendations according to NCCN guidelines. Of the 159 patients treated, 153 (96.2%) received treatment according to NCCN guidelines. The MDT recommended the highest available evidence-based NCCN category guideline in 78.0%. Subsequent treatment using the same or higher category MDT recommendation occurred in 87.0% of patients., Conclusions: Evaluation of patients at an MDT using NCCN guidelines incorporates the highest level of evidence in approximately 80% of patients and translates well into subsequent care. Incorporation of the highest available NCCN guideline may be improved, although management should be individualized., (Copyright © 2016 American Society for Radiation Oncology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate how limited English proficiency affects treatment outcome in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients treated with curative intent radiation therapy (RT)., Methods: From 2004 to 2010, 131 patients with HNC underwent RT. Patient's self-reported primary language and race/ethnicity were obtained at hospital registration. English proficiency was categorized as being English proficient (EP) or limited English proficient (LEP). Race/ethnicity was categorized as white, black and other (Hispanics and Asians). Patients were evaluated for locoregional (LRC), distant control (DC), overall (OS) and disease-free (DFS) survival., Results: Fewer LEP patients (60.0%) underwent chemoradiation compared to EP (83.8%), P=0.028. The three-year actuarial LRC for EP and LEP patients was 82.2% and 58.3%, respectively, P=0.038. LEP patients had an increased risk of locoregional failure on univariate Cox regression analysis (hazard ratio, HR 2.4, 95% CI, 1.0-5.8). No differences by English proficiency were seen for DC, OS and DFS. Race/ethnicity was not associated LRC, DC, OS and DFS., Conclusion: Inferior locoregional control was observed in LEP patients receiving RT for HNC. Potential health disparities as a result of limited English proficiency require further investigation., Practice Implications: Patient education, use of culturally sensitive interpreter and patient navigation services, and improved patient compliance should be considered in head and neck cancer patients receiving complex multidisciplinary care., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Advances in the management of locally advanced head and neck cancer (HNC) have been focused on treatment intensification, including concomitant chemoradiotherapy, biological agents, and combining surgery with chemoradiotherapy. Despite these improvements, locoregional recurrence still constitutes the main pattern of treatment failure. As improvements in radiotherapy delivery and image-guided therapy have come to fruition, the principles of stereotactic radiosurgery are now being applied to extracranial sites, leading to stereotactic body radiotherapy. This article focuses on the emerging evidence for the use of stereotactic body radiotherapy for treatment of HNC as a boost after conventional external-beam radiotherapy, and also as reirradiation in recurrent or second primary HNC.

The authors have investigated whether genetic abnormalities in two genes, loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of p53 and amplification of the cyclin D1 gene, correlate with clinical outcome in 56 matched pairs of blood and tumor from patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). Frequency of p53 LOH was 47.4%, of cyclin D1 amplification 33.9%, and of both abnormalities together 23.7%. p53 LOH was associated with T4 (P = 0.003) and stage IV (P = 0.015) tumors. Cyclin D1 amplification was associated with recurrences and/or metachronous tumors (P = 0.007). The total number of p53 and cyclin D1 abnormalities (scored as zero, one, and two) show a pattern that seems to be additive; the increase in the number of these abnormalities is associated with a proportional increase in the frequency of T4, stage IV, presence of recurrences and/or metachronous tumors, and possibly a proportional decrease in the disease-free interval in the sample. The association of the markers with recurrences and/or metachronous tumors persists if the tumor stage effect is mathematically removed. The combined analysis of the p53 and cyclin D1 abnormalities seems to be more informative than either of them individually and may have predictive value in SCCHN.

We implemented screening for squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx with symptom assessment and systematic inspection of the oral mucosa by primary care practitioners at health care sites serving inner-city residents of Boston; 4611 tobacco users older than 40 years were screened, and 313 with specific criteria were referred to otolaryngology for diagnostic evaluations. In these screened patients, the prevalence of oral mucosal lesions was almost 13% and prevalence of persistent hoarseness was more than 11%. Although the identification of these cancers was rare (nearly 3%), abnormal findings were seen in more than 70% of referred patients. These clinical and histologic diagnoses are described. We have documented the range of pathologic conditions in high-risk patients screened for upper aerodigestive tract malignancy.

Purpose: To compare lesion-to-background contrast with and without magnetization transfer (MT) in lesions of the head and neck., Methods: Twenty lesions (16 malignant, 4 benign) were evaluated in 17 patients (11 men, 6 women; mean age, 58 years; age range, 39-76 years). In 13 patients, MR imaging was performed at 0.1 T with continuous-wave, off-resonance MT; in 4 patients, MR imaging was performed at 1.5 T with on-resonance, binomial MT prepulses. Fifteen sequences were conducted before the administration of gadopentetate dimeglumine; 13 were conducted after the administration of that contrast material. The ratio of signal intensity with the MT pulses (Ms) to signal intensity without the MT pulses (Mo) was calculated, as were the lesion-to-background contrast and the contrast-to-noise ratios., Results: Ms/Mo showed both wide variability and considerable overlap among different lesion types. Images from MT sequences showed better contrast than those from non-MT sequences in 23 of 28 lesions (12 of 15 before and 11 of 13 after the administration of contrast material). The mean contrast improvement percentages (+/- standard deviation) were 165.5% (+/- 58%) on unenhanced images and 186.6% (+/- 84.8%) on contrast-enhanced images. The mean improvements in contrast-to-noise ratios were 156% (+/- 60%) on unenhanced images and 171.6% (+/- 98.1%) on contrast-enhanced images., Conclusion: MT improved contrast between nodes or tumors showing an MT effect and background tissue (usually fat) not showing an MT effect. MT also improved contrast between contrast-enhanced neoplastic lesions and background tissue that showed an MT effect.