Search

Purpose: Sentinel lymph node biopsy is an essential staging tool in patients with clinically localized oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma. The harvesting of a sentinel lymph node entails a sequence of procedures with participation of specialists in nuclear medicine, radiology, surgery, and pathology. The aim of this document is to provide guidelines for nuclear medicine physicians performing lymphoscintigraphy for sentinel lymph node detection in patients with early N0 oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma., Methods: These practice guidelines were written and have been approved by the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to promote high-quality lymphoscintigraphy. The final result has been discussed by distinguished experts from the EANM Oncology Committee, and national nuclear medicine societies. The document has been endorsed by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI). These guidelines, together with another two focused on Surgery and Pathology (and published in specialised journals), are part of the synergistic efforts developed in preparation for the "2018 Sentinel Node Biopsy in Head and Neck Consensus Conference"., Conclusion: The present practice guidelines will help nuclear medicine practitioners play their essential role in providing high-quality lymphatic mapping for the care of early N0 oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma patients.

In our earlier, 30-year follow-up of American prisoners of war (POWs) of World War II and the Korean conflict, we found evidence of increased cirrhosis mortality. Using federal records, we have now extended our follow-up to 50 years (42 years for Korean conflict veterans) and have used proportional hazards analysis to compare the mortality experience of POWs with that of controls. Compared with their controls, World War II POWs had a 32% higher risk of cirrhosis mortality (statistically significant), and mortality risk was higher in the first 30 years of follow-up and also among those aged 51 years and older. Korean POWs had roughly the same risk of cirrhosis mortality as their controls. Neither self-reported data on alcohol consumption nor supplemental morbidity data satisfactorily explained the differences in risk between POWs and controls, although there was evidence that POWs tended to have higher rates of hepatitis, helminthiasis, and nutritional deprivation.