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Background The aim of this study was to develop and validate the first ever speech-specific perceptual speech-evaluation tool for patients with head and neck cancer. Methods Five speech parameters (intelligibility, articulation, speech rate, nasality, and asthenia) and overall grade were included and evaluated. Speech samples of 117 subjects were recorded on electroglottograph equipment using a standard protocol and were independently judged and rated by 3 experienced speech and language therapists and re-rated 12 weeks apart. Results Among patients the Cronbach's alpha (α) coefficients for internal consistency for connected speech were 0.89, whereas for single words the α coefficients ranged between 0.80 and 0.84. The Spearman's correlation coefficients for intra-rater reliability for connected speech and words varied between 0.30 and 0.90 and 0.49 and 0.76, respectively, whereas for inter-rater reliability the coefficients ranged between 0.53 and 0.99 and 0.56 and 0.99, respectively. For construct validity, the Spearman's correlation coefficient ranged between 0.41 and 0.55. Conclusions The London Speech Evaluation (LSE) scale demonstrated a high reliability and validity in our cohort of patients with head and neck cancer. surgery. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2012 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The pattern of distribution of cervical nodal involvement from primary parotid carcinomas has not been extensively escribed. Methods. All cases of parotid carcinoma over a 10-year period treated at our institution were reviewed. Data from the patients with cervical metastases were analyzed. These findings were pooled with previously published data on topography of cervical lymph nodes from parotid carcinomas. Results. Of 80 cases, 15 had cervical metastases (Nþ) in our series. When pooled with the data from all other reports, a total of 66 Nþ cases were available for analysis. Twenty-eight percent of cases had involvement of level I, 59% had level II, 52% had level III, 38% had level IV, and 41% had level V. There were frequent skip metastases to level V but all were ipsilateral. Conclusion. The diffuse distribution of cervical nodal metastases does not support a high echelon neck dissection or radiotherapy fields limited to the upper chain in the management of cervical nodal disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]