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Oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) affects more than 30 000 individuals in the United States annually, with smoking and alcohol consumption being the main risk factors. Management of early‐stage tumors usually includes surgical resection followed by postoperative radiotherapy in certain cases. The cervical lymph nodes (LNs) are the most common site for local metastasis, and elective neck dissection is usually performed if the primary tumor thickness is greater than 3.5 mm. However, postoperative histological examination often reveals that many patients with early‐stage disease are negative for neck nodal metastasis, posing a pressing need for improved risk stratification to either avoid overtreatment or prevent the disease progression. To this end, we aimed to identify a primary tumor gene signature that can accurately predict cervical LN metastasis in patients with early‐stage OSCC. Using gene expression profiles from 189 samples, we trained K‐top scoring pairs models and identified six gene pairs that can distinguish primary tumors with nodal metastasis from those without metastasis. The signature was further validated on an independent cohort of 35 patients using real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in which it achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and accuracy of 90% and 91%, respectively. These results indicate that such signature holds promise as a quick and cost effective method for detecting patients at high risk of developing cervical LN metastasis, and may be potentially used to guide the neck treatment regimen in early‐stage OSCC. What's new? In oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), early diagnosis of lymph‐node metastasis is essential for successful treatment. However, there is a pressing need for techniques that can improve risk stratification, in order to spare patients without metastases from further invasive surgery. In this study, the authors used a computer model to identify a simple, clinic‐friendly gene panel that can predict which OSCC tumors will likely spread to the lymph nodes. The reliability of this panel underscores the importance of embedding biological knowledge in the training process of cancer predictive models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We aim to evaluate the role of elective neck dissection (END) and adjuvant radiation on survival in N0 high-grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC)., Study Design: Retrospective cohort study., Setting: National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database., Methods: All patients diagnosed with high-grade MEC with node-negative disease (N0) from 2004 to 2018 were included. Demographic, clinicopathologic, treatment, and outcomes were analyzed. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to evaluate 5-year disease-specific survival (DSS) and 5-year overall survival (OS). Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to control for confounders., Results: A total of 310 patients with high-grade MEC and N0 (clinical and pathologic) disease were identified. The parotid was the most common primary site (266, 86%). Of included patients, 133 (42.9%) were T3-T4 tumors and 212 (68%) received adjuvant radiation. END was performed on 223 (71.9%) of cases. END in T3-T4 high-grade MEC led to significant improvements in DSS (74.3% vs 34.0%, P < .01) and OS (55.2% vs 20.5%, P < .01) as compared to no END. Subanalysis shows that in patients who received neck dissections and were pathologic N0, adjuvant radiation had no impact on DSS (84.0% vs 72.1%, P = .45) and OS (52.1% vs 55.8%, P = .91). Benefits persisted when controlling for confounders using multivariate Cox proportional regression., Conclusion: Patients with T3-T4 high-grade MEC who underwent END and found to be pathologically node-negative (pN0) had significantly improved 5-year DSS and 5-year OS than patients who were cN0 and did not undergo END. Importantly, although 68% of patients received adjuvant radiation, we show no benefit of this treatment modality on outcomes in pN0 high-grade MEC., (© 2024 The Authors. Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation.)

Background: In 2018, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network treatment guidelines began recommending the use of neck dissection during surgical management of stage I-II supraglottic laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC)., Methods: Trends and factors associated with the use of neck dissection during larynx-preserving surgery for patients with cT1-2, N0, M0 supraglottic LSCC in the National Cancer Database (2004-2020) were evaluated using multivariable-adjusted logistic regression., Results: Of the 2080 patients who satisfied study eligibility criteria, 633 (30.4%) underwent neck dissection. Between 2018 and 2020, the rate of neck dissection was 39.0% (114/292). After multivariable adjustment, academic facility type, undergoing biopsy prior to surgery, and more radical surgery were significant predictors of receiving neck dissection., Conclusions: The results of this national analysis suggest that the utilization of guideline-concordant neck dissection for management of stage I-II supraglottic LSCC remains low and highlight the need to promote the practice of neck dissection for this patient population., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background. Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) accounts for 1%–2% of thyroid cancer in the United States based on the latest Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data, and this study aimed to construct a comprehensive predictive nomogram based on various clinical variables in MTC patients who underwent total thyroidectomy and neck lymph nodes dissection. Methods. Data regarding 1,237 MTC patients who underwent total thyroidectomy and neck lymph nodes dissection from 2004 to 2015 were obtained from the SEER database. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to screen for meaningful independent predictors. These independent factors were used to construct a nomogram model, a survival prognostication tool for 3- and 5-year overall survival, and cancer-specific survival among these MTC patients. Result. A total of 1,237 patients enrolled from the SEER database were randomly divided into the training group (n = 867) and the test group (n = 370). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to identify meaningful independent prognostic factors (P < 0.05). Tumor size, age, metastasis status, and LNR were selected as independent predictors of overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). Finally, two nomograms were developed, and the predicted C-index of overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) rate in the training group was 0.828 and 0.904, respectively. The predicted C-index of overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) rate in the test group was 0.813 and 0.828. Conclusion. Nomograms constructed by using various clinical variables can make more comprehensive and accurate predictions for MTC patients who underwent total thyroidectomy and neck lymph nodes. These predictive nomograms help identify postoperative high-risk MTC patients and facilitate patient counseling on clinical prognosis and follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The presumptive overdiagnosis of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) has led to an emerging trend of less-extensive operation and an inclination toward active surveillance when possible. In this study, we aimed to examine the risk of advanced PTMC at presentation.Study Design: We conducted a retrospective analysis using the National Cancer Database (2010 to 2014). Patients with PTMC who underwent surgical intervention were included and patients with a history of any cancer were excluded.Results: A total of 30,180 adult patients with PTMC were identified; 5,628 patients (18.7%) presented with advanced features, including central lymph node (LN) metastasis (8.0%), lateral LN metastasis (4.4%), microscopic extrathyroidal extension (ETE; 6.7%), gross ETE (0.3%), lymphovascular invasion (LVI; 4.4%), and distant metastasis (0.4%). All of those features were associated with a significantly lower survival rate (p < 0.05 each) except for microscopic ETE and LVI. There was a significant interrelation among those features, distant metastasis was associated with central LN metastasis (odds ratio [OR] 2.44; 95% CI, 1.48 to 4.23; p < 0.001), lateral LN metastasis (OR 3.18; 95% CI, 1.77 to 5.71; p < 0.001), and gross ETE (OR 9.91; 95% Cl, 3.83 to 25.64; p < 0.001). In turn, nodal metastasis was associated with microscopic ETE (OR 4.23; 95% CI, 3.82 to 4.70; p < 0.001) and LVI (OR 7.17; 95% CI, 6.36 to 8.08; p < 0.001).Conclusions: PTMC could exhibit advanced features in 19% of patients who underwent operation and some of those, such as LVI and microscopic ETE, are undetectable with preoperative workup. Clinicians need to be cognizant of this considerable risk in the era of less-aggressive management of PTMC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The continued debate over total thyroidectomy versus lobectomy and declining favor for prophylactic central neck dissection for patients with clinically node-negative papillary thyroid cancer ≤4 cm is ongoing after the 2015 guideline updates from the American Thyroid Association. This study aimed to evaluate contemporary trends in the extent of surgery in this low-risk cohort., Methods: Retrospective data from the National Cancer Database were used to identify adult patients with clinically node-negative papillary thyroid cancer ≤4 cm who underwent resection from 2012 to 2020. The primary outcome was the extent of surgery (lobectomy or total thyroidectomy, with or without prophylactic central neck dissection). Multivariable regression was performed to identify characteristics associated with variation in the extent of surgery., Results: Of 83,464 included patients, 79.3% were female patients with a median age of 51 years. The majority underwent total thyroidectomy either with prophylactic central neck dissection (39.1%) or without (37.5%) versus lobectomy with prophylactic central neck dissection (7.2%) or without (16.2%). Lobectomy rates increased from 18.3% in 2012 to 29.9% in 2020. Prophylactic central neck dissection rates also increased (42.9% to 52.1%). Patients who were male sex, Asian American, had smaller tumors or were treated at community cancer programs had a decreased likelihood of total thyroidectomy. Patients who were older, male sex, Black race, with smaller tumors, or were treated at community cancer programs or mid- or low-volume facilities had decreased likelihood of prophylactic central neck dissection., Conclusion: Proportional use rates of operative approaches for low-risk, clinically node-negative papillary thyroid cancer have changed in recent years after the American Thyroid Association guideline changes, including increasing overall rates of lobectomy as well as prophylactic central neck dissection, with differences noted based on patient- and facility-level factors., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

To understand perioperative practices for transoral robotic surgery (TORS) among academic medical centers. An electronic cross-sectional survey was distributed to fellows and program directors participating in 49 American Head and Neck Society fellowships. Operative decisions, medical and swallowing management, and disposition planning were assessed. Thirty-eight responses were collected (77.6%). Twenty-three centers (60.5%) performed > 25 cases annually with the remainder performing fewer. The da Vinci Si was the most commonly used platform (n = 28, 73.7%). A majority of institutions advocated tailored resection to adequate margins (n = 27, 71.1%) over fixed subunit-based resection (n = 11, 28.9%). Most surgeons (n = 29, 76.3%) performed neck dissection concurrent with TORS, and 89.5% (n = 34) routinely ligated external carotid artery branches. A minority of institutions (n = 17, 45.9%) endorsed a standardized TORS care pathway. Antibiotic choices and duration varied, the most common choice being ampicillin/sulbactam (n = 21, 55.3%), and the most common duration being 24 h or less (n = 22, 57.9%). Multimodal analgesia was used at 36 centers (94.7%), steroids at 31 centers (81.6%), and pharmacologic venous thromboembolic prophylaxis at 29 centers (76.3%). Nasogastric feeding tubes were placed during surgery at 20 institutions (54.1%). Speech-language pathologists routinely performed postoperative swallow evaluations at 29 (78.4%) sites. Practice patterns are variable among institutions performing TORS. While certain surgical and postoperative practices were quite common, many institutions reported no standard TORS care pathway. Further understanding of the impact of individual practices on outcomes is necessary to develop evidence-based perioperative protocols for TORS., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag London Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Objectives: The aim of this study is to describe the feasibility as well as oncologic outcomes of robot-assisted neck dissection (RAND) through a modified facelift incision in an American population. Study Design: Retrospective case series. Setting: University tertiary care hospital. Methods: All patients who underwent RAND between November 2012 and December 2014 were included. Medical records were reviewed for demographics, medical histories, staging, operative information, postoperative hospital course and complications, and oncologic outcomes. Results: There were 11 RANDs identified among 10 patients. Five patients had known nodal metastasis at the time of surgery. Two patients had been previously irradiated. The average time of surgery was 284.4 ± 72.3 minutes, including other associated procedures. The average lymph node yield was 28.5 ± 9.3 nodes. There were no major complications. Average follow-up was 19.4 months. There was 1 supraclavicular recurrence in a previously irradiated patient. All patients are currently alive and without evidence of disease. Conclusions: Robot-assisted neck dissection is a safe and feasible procedure that can be performed by surgeons with familiarity with neck dissection and robot-assisted surgery and who have been trained in RAND. Appropriate oncologic outcomes can be obtained in a patient wishing to avoid a noticeable scar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Current studies and guidelines have reported that outpatient endocrine surgery is safe. However, none recommend specific postoperative protocols., Methods: An internet-based survey, developed using expert input, was distributed to current (2021-2022) endocrine surgery fellows in American Association of Endocrine Surgeons-accredited programs (n = 23). Programs with ≤2% same-day discharge rate were compared with those with ≥2% same-day discharge rate., Results: The survey response rate was 91% (21/23), representing 20 United States institutions performing >15,000 cervical endocrine operations annually. The same-day discharge rate after total thyroidectomy was not normally distributed across institutions (P < .0001) but appeared bimodal, highlighting dogmatic differences in the pursuit of same-day discharge. Nine programs had ≤2% same-day discharge rate, whereas seven had ≥90% same-day discharge rate. Fourteen (70%) reported minimum observation periods before discharge, without consistency across procedures or institutions. Total thyroidectomy patients were observed longer. Fourteen (70%) reported no geographic restrictions for same-day discharge. In programs with >2% same-day discharge (n = 11), clinical and operative factors inconsistently influenced same-day discharge after thyroidectomy. Living alone precluded same-day discharge in 3 programs. Lateral neck dissection and chronic anticoagulation each greatly reduced same-day discharge in one program and precluded same-day discharge in another. Central neck dissection, Graves' disease, substernal goiter, continuous positive airway pressure use, difficult/bloody operation, and signal on nerve stimulation had no or minimal effect on same-day discharge. Postoperative medication recommendations varied among programs. Although anticoagulation/antiplatelet agents were similarly held preoperatively across programs, resumption varied. Narcotics were routinely prescribed in 35%., Conclusion: Same-day discharge is not uniform across endocrine surgery training programs and is likely primarily driven by surgeon preference. Factors influencing same-day discharge vary significantly among programs., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background. The purpose of this study was to examine trends in neck dissection and regionalization. Methods. This cross-sectional and longitudinal study used the years 2000, 2004, and 2006 data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Chi-square tests compared trends for total neck dissections and specific subsites. To test regionalization, we examined the distribution of procedures across hospital and procedure volume quartiles. Results. From 2000 to 2006, the number of neck dissections increased from 18,112 to 22,918. Three fourths of the total increase was associated with thyroid and parathyroid gland or skin neoplasms. There was an increase in neck dissections for upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) subsites and no decline for the oropharynx and tongue base. Regionalizationoccurred as high-volume hospitals and providers performed a greater proportion of neck dissections over time. Conclusion. Neck dissections increased from the year 2000 to 2006. There were no decreases in neck dissections for certain subsites with a greater role for primary chemoradiotherapy. Regionalization has occurred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a case of a 50-year-old patient with carotid-cutaneous fistula complications in Stanford, California. Use of neck dissection and radiation therapy for the treatment of tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma; Etiologic factors influencing the patient to bleeding; Association between carotid ligation and high rate of neurologic complications.

Objective: Salvage laryngeal surgery is the preferred treatment after failure of non-surgical treatment of larynx cancer. This study aims to identify the impact of ND in salvage surgery on survival and factors predictive of nodal metastasis., Methods: The National Cancer Database was used to identify patients who received salvage laryngeal surgery. Demographics, disease characteristics, and survival were compared between the subgroups of patients stratified according to performance of ND and presence of nodal metastasis., Results: Sixty-two percent of patients underwent ND. A total of 26% of patients undergoing ND had nodal metastasis. Younger age and lesser time since radiation were associated with nodal metastasis. While undergoing ND did not significantly affect survival, those with nodal metastasis had poorer survival ( P  = .001)., Conclusions: Although ND did not show a survival benefit, younger patients and those who have had a shorter time elapsed between the start of radiation and salvage surgery may benefit from the prognostic data provided by ND. Nonetheless, the risks and benefits of elective ND in salvage larynx cancer treatment should be evaluated on an individual case basis as the data do not support a broadly applicable recommendation.

Objective: To determine whether annual surgeon volume of lateral neck dissections for squamous cell carcinoma is associated with complication rates., Study Design: Retrospective review., Setting: Two US databases spanning 2000 to 2014., Methods: Neck dissections for squamous cell carcinoma from the National Inpatient Sample and State Inpatient Databases were analyzed. The primary outcome was any in-hospital complication common to neck dissection. The principal independent variable was surgeon volume. A multivariable logistic generalized estimating equation with a piecewise linear spline for surgeon volume was fit to assess its association with complication., Results: The National Inpatient Sample had 3517 discharges fitting criteria, a median surgeon volume of 12, and an 11.1% complication rate. A 1-unit increase in surgeon volume was associated with a 7% increase in the odds of complication when volume ranged between 4 and 19 (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.07; 95% CI, 1.04-1.11) and with a 3% decrease in the odds of complication when volume ranged between 19 and 51 (AOR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.96-0.99). The State Inpatient Databases had 2876 discharges fitting criteria, a median surgeon volume of 30, and a 13.5% complication rate. Surgeon volume was not associated with complication when <27 (AOR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.99-1.02), but a 5-unit increase in volume was associated with a 7% decrease in the odds of complication with volume ≥27 (AOR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.88-0.98)., Conclusions: Surgeon volume was associated with complications for most volume ranges and with lower odds of complication for high-volume surgeons.

Objective: Pathologic extranodal extension (ENE) is an important adverse feature for human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), but the prognostic significance of microscopic ENE (ENE mi ) and role of adjuvant concurrent chemoradiation (CRT) for ENE mi remain unclear. This study evaluates (1) the prognostic significance of ENE mi in HPV-negative HNSCC and (2) whether adjuvant CRT is associated with improved overall survival (OS) for these patients., Study Design: Retrospective cohort study., Setting: Commission on Cancer (CoC)-accredited facilities., Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients in the National Cancer Database from 2009 to 2015 with pathologic node-positive (pN+) HPV-negative HNSCC with either pathologic ENE mi or no ENE who had undergone margin-negative surgery. The association of ENE mi with OS was evaluated using Cox proportional hazard analyses. Analyses were repeated in patients with ENE mi receiving adjuvant therapy to evaluate the association of adjuvant CRT with OS., Results: We included 5483 patients with pN+ HPV-negative HNSCC, of whom 24% had ENE mi . On multivariable analysis, ENE mi was associated with decreased OS relative to no ENE (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.43; 95% CI, 1.28-1.59). Among patients with ENE mi who received ≥60 Gy of adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) (n = 617), adjuvant CRT was not associated with improved OS relative to RT (aHR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.66-1.27)., Conclusion: For patients with HPV-negative HNSCC, pN+ with ENE mi is associated with worse OS than pN+ without ENE. However, for patients with ENE mi , concurrent CRT is not associated with improved OS relative to RT. The optimal adjuvant paradigm for ENE mi requires additional investigation.

Objectives: To provide a clinical disease state review of recent relevant literature and to generate expert consensus statements regarding the breadth of pediatric thyroid cancer diagnosis and care, with an emphasis on thyroid surgery. To generate expert statements to educate pediatric practitioners on the state-of-the-art practices and the value of surgical experience in the management of this unusual and challenging disease in children., Methods: A literature search was conducted and statements were constructed and subjected to a modified Delphi process to measure the consensus of the expert author panel. The wording of statements, voting tabulation, and statistical analysis were overseen by a Delphi expert (J.J.S.)., Results: Twenty-five consensus statements were created and subjected to a modified Delphi analysis to measure the strength of consensus of the expert author panel. All statements reached a level of consensus, and the majority of statements reached the highest level of consensus., Conclusion: Pediatric thyroid cancer has many unique nuances, such as bulky cervical adenopathy on presentation, an increased incidence of diffuse sclerosing variant, and a longer potential lifespan to endure potential complications from treatment. Complications can be a burden to parents and patients alike. We suggest that optimal outcomes and decreased morbidity will come from the use of advanced imaging, diagnostic testing, and neural monitoring of patients treated at high-volume centers by high-volume surgeons., (© AACE published by Elsevier Inc. as a dual publication under license from Wiley Periodicals, LLC.)

Objectives: To provide a clinical disease state review of recent relevant literature and to generate expert consensus statements regarding the breadth of pediatric thyroid cancer diagnosis and care, with an emphasis on thyroid surgery. To generate expert statements to educate pediatric practitioners on the state-of-the-art practices and the value of surgical experience in the management of this unusual and challenging disease in children., Methods: A literature search was conducted and statements were constructed and subjected to a modified Delphi process to measure the consensus of the expert author panel. The wording of statements, voting tabulation, and statistical analysis were overseen by a Delphi expert (J.J.S.)., Results: Twenty-five consensus statements were created and subjected to a modified Delphi analysis to measure the strength of consensus of the expert author panel. All statements reached a level of consensus, and the majority of statements reached the highest level of consensus., Conclusion: Pediatric thyroid cancer has many unique nuances, such as bulky cervical adenopathy on presentation, an increased incidence of diffuse sclerosing variant, and a longer potential lifespan to endure potential complications from treatment. Complications can be a burden to parents and patients alike. We suggest that optimal outcomes and decreased morbidity will come from the use of advanced imaging, diagnostic testing, and neural monitoring of patients treated at high-volume centers by high-volume surgeons., (Copyright © 2020 AACE. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: (1) To estimate the association between neck dissection lymph node yield (LNY) and survival among patients with surgically treated human papilloma virus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). (2) To identify a clinically relevant quality metric for surgical treatment of HPV-related OPSCC., Study Design: Retrospective cohort study., Setting: National Cancer Database., Subjects and Methods: From the National Cancer Database, 4130 patients were identified with HPV-associated OPSCC treated with primary surgery from 2010 to 2016. Based on prior literature, an adequate neck dissection LNY was defined as ≥18 lymph nodes. To determine whether LNY is associated with survival, univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression was performed. Analysis was stratified by adjuvant therapy regimen., Results: A total of 2113 patients (51.2%) underwent surgery with or without adjuvant radiation (S ± RT), and 2017 patients (48.8%) underwent surgery with adjuvant chemoradiation. LNY ≥18 was associated with a 5-year survival benefit of 7.15% (91.7% for LNY ≥18, 84.5% for LNY <18, P = .004) for the S ± RT cohort on unadjusted survival analysis. For the S ± RT group, LNY ≥18 was associated with decreased hazard of death (hazard ratio, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.29-0.70; P < .001) after adjustment for patient characteristics, TNM staging, surgical margins, extranodal extension, and treating facility characteristics. For surgery with adjuvant chemoradiation, the adjusted hazard ratio estimate for LNY ≥18 was 0.64 (95% CI, 0.41-1.00), but the result was not statistically significant ( P = .052)., Conclusion: An adequate LNY from a neck dissection may affect survival when HPV-related OPSCC is treated with up-front surgery.

Objective: To comprehensively examine the prognostic significance of extranodal extension (ENE) in human papillomavirus-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPV-positive OPSCC)., Methods: Retrospective cohort of cases diagnosed with HPV-positive OPSCC from 2010 to 2015 in the National Cancer Database. Inclusion of all OPSCC HPV-positive cases with appropriate International Classification of Diseases-0-3 codes that received surgery with a neck dissection. Univariate and multivariable analyses were conducted. Hazard ratios (HR) for the independent effects of ENE and N stage on overall survival were estimated by Cox proportional hazards regression., Results: Cases that were ENE-negative had the highest 5-year survival (92.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 90.5%-94.7%). ENE-positive cases had the lowest 5-year survival (84.0%; 95% CI: 80.7%-87.4%). After adjusting for confounding variables, ENE-positivity was associated with almost twice the hazard of death (HR = 1.90; 95% CI: 1.35-2.67) compared to ENE-negative cases. Nodal (N) category 1, ENE-positive status was associated with an increased risk of death (HR = 1.88; 95% CI: 1.26-2.80) compared with N1, ENE-negative status. Compared to N1/ENE-negative cases, N2/ENE-positive cases had the poorest survival (HR: 2.93; 95% CI: 1.94-4.43). Both microscopic and macroscopic ENE were associated with worse outcomes compared to node-positive/ENE-negative status., Conclusion: The implementation of the American Joint Committee on Cancer 8th edition staging system provides a much-improved framework to develop and discuss treatment plans for HPV-positive OPSCC. We feel that careful consideration should be given to the importance of ENE in patients with HPV-positive OPSCC., Level of Evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 130:939-945, 2020., (© 2019 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

Objective: To establish the association between lymph node yield and ratio in neck dissection for well-differentiated thyroid cancer and risk for persistent postoperative disease., Study Design: Retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing lymphadenectomy for thyroid carcinoma., Setting: Tertiary referral center., Subjects and Methods: Included patients underwent central and/or lateral neck dissection for papillary thyroid carcinoma at our institution between 1994 and 2015. They were divided into a persistent disease group with biochemical and structural disease (49 patients) and a disease-free group with no disease after a minimum 2 years of follow-up (175 patients). Demographic characteristics, adjuvant therapy, tumor, and lymph node features were compared., Results: There were no significant differences in demographic characteristics between the groups. The mean nodal yield of patients with central and lateral neck persistence was significantly lower than that of patients remaining disease free (4.8 vs. 11.9: odds ratio [OR] 0.69; 95% CI, 0.59 to 0.8; P  < .001; 14.8 vs. 31.0: OR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.84-0.94; P  < .001, respectively). Nodal ratio was higher in patients with persistence in the central and lateral neck (74.2% vs 29.4%: OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.04-1.08; P < .001; 54.2% vs 19.8%: OR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.04-1.12; P < .001, respectively)., Conclusions: Lower lymph node yield and higher node ratio from cervical lymph node dissections are associated with persistent disease and have potential applications in surgical adequacy.

Objectives: To investigate methods used by head and neck surgeons to pre-operatively measure depth of invasion (DOI) in light of the new staging for oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC)., Materials and Methods: A survey was designed and sent to all American Head and Neck Society (AHNS) members via an email link. The last response was recorded on January 16, 2019., Results: We received 185 (13.3%) responses from 184 surgeons and 1 radiation oncologist. The majority of surgeons correctly identified DOI (78.9%) and indicated measuring DOI pre-operatively (86%). The most common methods for measuring DOI were manual palpation (32.5%) and full thickness biopsy (25.2%). In addition, most surgeons (84.7%) reported using a DOI threshold (in mm) as their primary criterion in their decision to pursue a neck dissection in the N0 neck. The most common reported threshold was 4 mm (37.4% of those that reported using DOI), however, the range varied from 2 to >10 mm. Two-thirds of surgeons considered DOI an important indicator for adjuvant therapy., Conclusion: DOI is believed to be an important prognostic indicator guiding neck dissection and the need for adjuvant therapy. While most surgeons currently measure DOI pre-operatively, most use subjective methods. Future studies are needed to establish objective pre-operative DOI measurement techniques and to better inform the decision to perform prophylactic neck dissection, given the current majority practice of prophylactic neck dissection for DOI of 4 mm or greater., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: We sought to identify treatment disparities existing prior to publication of the 2015 American Thyroid Association Management Guidelines in order to identify patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) at risk for receiving inadequate treatment., Methods: Patients diagnosed with PTC from 2011 to 2013 were identified using Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database. High-risk disease was defined as T4, N1, or M1. Chi-square tests compared characteristics of patients with and without high-risk disease and characteristics of high-risk patients who did and did not receive radioactive iodine ablation (RAI). Likelihoods of having high-risk disease, of receiving RAI, and of cause-specific death were calculated using regression analyses., Results: Sample included 32,229 individuals; 7894 (24.5%) had high-risk disease. Mean age was 50.0 years, 24,815 (77.0%) were female, and 21,318 (66.2%) were white. Odds of high-risk disease were greater among males (OR:2.04; 95% CI:1.92-2.16), Hispanics (OR:1.67; 95% CI:1.56-1.79) and Asians (OR:1.49; 95% CI:1.37-1.62), and uninsured (OR:1.24; 95% CI:1.07-1.43), and lower among patients ages 45-64 (OR:0.57; 95% CI:0.53-0.60), and ≥65 years (OR:0.54; 95% CI:0.50-0.59), and Blacks (OR:0.46; 95% CI:0.40-0.53). Most (69.3%) high-risk patients received RAI. Odds of receiving RAI were lower among patients age ≥65 years (OR:0.67; 95% CI:0.58-0.77), uninsured (OR:0.52; 95% CI:0.41-0.67), or with Medicaid (OR:0.58; 95% CI:0.50-0.69). RAI use reduced the risk of cause-specific mortality (HR:0.29; 95% CI:0.18-0.47)., Conclusion: Knowledge of these treatment disparities will allow recognition of groups at risk for high-risk disease and receiving inadequate treatment., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd, BASO ~ The Association for Cancer Surgery, and the European Society of Surgical Oncology. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The aim of the current work is to provide evidence-based recommendations to practicing physicians and others on the management of the neck in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity and oropharynx., Methods: ASCO convened an Expert Panel of medical oncology, surgery, radiation oncology, and advocacy experts to conduct a literature search, which included systematic reviews, meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, and prospective and retrospective comparative observational studies published from 1990 through 2018. Outcomes of interest included survival, regional disease control, neck recurrence, and quality of life. Expert Panel members used available evidence and informal consensus to develop evidence-based guideline recommendations., Results: The literature search identified 124 relevant studies to inform the evidence base for this guideline. Six clinical scenarios were devised; three for oral cavity cancer and three for oropharynx cancer, and recommendations were generated for each one., Recommendations: For oral cavity cancers, clinical scenarios focused on the indications for and the hallmarks of a high-quality neck dissection, indications for postoperative radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy, and whether radiotherapy alone is sufficient elective treatment of an undissected neck compared with high-quality neck dissection. For oropharynx cancers, clinical scenarios focused on hallmarks of a high-quality neck dissection, factors that would favor operative versus nonoperative primary management, and clarifying criteria for an incomplete response to definitive chemoradiation for which salvage neck dissection would be recommended. Consensus was reached and recommendations were made for all six clinical scenarios. Additional information is available at www.asco.org/head-neck-cancer-guidelines .

Objectives: We aimed to determine the effect of adjuvant radioactive iodine dose on recurrence rate in high-risk papillary thyroid cancer., Methods: More than 1,500 patients treated for papillary thyroid cancer at high-volume centers in France and the United States from 2004-2014 were reviewed. Patients considered at high risk for recurrence per the 2015 American Thyroid Association guidelines were analyzed and grouped by initial radioactive iodine dose: intermediate (median 100 mCi) or high dose (median 150 mCi). Propensity score matching was performed to control for baseline characteristics., Results: In a propensity-matched cohort of 66 patient pairs, there were equivalent rates of gross extrathyroidal extension (71% vs 71%, P = 1.00), positive margins (55% vs 55%, P = 1.00), lymph node metastases ≥ 3 cm (9% vs 9%, P = 1.00), extranodal extension (32% vs 33%, P = .85), and distant metastases (2% vs 5%, P = .31). Over a median follow-up of 4.5 years (interquartile ratio 2.0-7.5 years), the intermediate-dose radioactive iodine group had a significantly higher rate of recurrence than patients in the high-dose radioactive iodine group: 24 out of 66 (36%) vs 13 out of 66 (20%), P = .03., Conclusion: High-dose radioactive iodine is associated with lower recurrence rate compared with intermediate-dose radioactive iodine for patients with American Thyroid Association high-risk papillary thyroid cancer., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Postoperative concomitant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) improves outcomes for younger adults with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and positive margins or extranodal extension (ENE), but its benefit for older adults is not well established., Methods: Patients from the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) with HNSCC undergoing curative-intent resection, neck dissection, and postoperative radiation with positive margins or ENE were identified., Results: This analysis included 1199 patients aged ≥ 70 years with median follow-up of 42.6 months. Postoperative concurrent CRT was associated with improved overall survival (OS; hazard ratio [HR] 0.752; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.638-0.886) compared to radiation alone in multivariable analysis. Three-year OS was 52.4% with CRT versus 43.4% with radiation (P = .012) in propensity-score matched cohorts. The survival impact of CRT varied by N classification (P = .002 for interaction), with benefit seen only in those with N2 to N3 disease., Conclusion: Postoperative concurrent CRT may benefit older patients with HNSCC with positive margins or ENE, particularly those with higher nodal burden., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Importance: Intraoperative nerve monitoring (IONM) is increasingly performed during thyroid surgery., Objective: To examine the use of IONM and its association with patient demographic characteristics and surgeon volume., Design, Setting, and Participants: A cross-sectional analysis used the State Inpatient Databases from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2011, to assess patient demographic characteristics and surgeon volume. Available 30-day readmission data for all adult patients (aged ≥18 years) who underwent thyroidectomy in Florida, New York, and Washington were included. Follow-up was completed on December 31, 2011, and data were analyzed from March 11, 2015, to February 17, 2016., Main Outcomes and Measures: Use of IONM and incidence of postoperative vocal cord paralysis., Results: A total of 17 268 patients undergoing thyroidectomy were included (20.3% men; 79.7% women; mean [SD] age, 53.0 [15.1] years), of whom 1433 patients (8.3%) had IONM. Patients who were significantly less likely to undergo IONM included black patients (185 [7.9%]; adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.79; 95% CI, 0.65-0.97) and those with Medicare (382 [8.4%]; AOR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.69-0.94) or Medicaid (125 [5.5%]; AOR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.48, 0.74) health coverage. Black patients had a higher prevalence of vocal cord paralysis compared with white patients (37 [1.6%] vs 138 [1.3%]; AOR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.11-2.43) in a multivariate model that also controlled for IONM use. Low-volume surgeons were more likely to use IONM (1199 [9.2%] vs 234 [5.5%]; AOR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.48-2.09). However, patients treated by low-volume surgeons had a higher risk for vocal cord paralysis compared with those treated by high-volume surgeons (187 [1.4%] vs 26 [0.6%]; AOR, 2.47; 95% CI, 1.61-3.80). The risk for vocal cord paralysis was not associated with the performance of IONM (AOR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.48-1.16) or the type of thyroidectomy (AOR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.75-1.44)., Conclusions and Relevance: Disparities in the use of IONM are based on demographic factors of the patients and surgeon volume. Intraoperative nerve monitoring appears to be used less in black patients or those with Medicare health coverage and is not associated with the risk for vocal cord paralysis.

Objective: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of transoral robotic surgery (TORS) compared to intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for early stage (T1-2, N0, M0) oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC)., Patients and Methods: A Markov decision tree model with a 5-year time horizon was developed. Comparative groups were: i) TORS with concurrent ipsilateral neck dissection +/- adjunctive IMRT, and ii) primary IMRT. Primary outcome was cost/quality adjusted life year (QALY). Perspective was the United States third party payer. Costs and effects were discounted at a rate of 3.5%. A threshold and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were performed., Results: TORS strategy cost $30,992 and provided 4.81 QALYs/patient. The IMRT strategy cost $26,033 and provided a total of 4.78 QALYs/patient. The incremental cost effectiveness ratio for TORS vs. IMRT in the reference case was $165,300/QALY. The probability that TORS is cost-effective compared to IMRT at a maximum willingness-to-pay threshold of $50,000/QALY is 42%., Conclusion: An IMRT strategy for management of early stage OPSCC is more likely to be cost-effective compared to TORS. To improve the value of TORS for early stage OPSCC, consolidating TORS procedures to create high-volume centers of excellence may be a potential strategy to increase incremental effectiveness and reduce incremental costs. J. Surg. Oncol. 2015 111:155-163. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., (© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Importance: Most patients with oral cavity squamous cell cancer (OCSCC) are initially seen at an early stage (I and II). Although patient and tumor prognostic features have been analyzed extensively, population-level data examining how variations in treatment factors impact survival are lacking to date., Objective: To analyze associations between treatment variables and survival in stages I and II oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma., Design, Setting, and Participants: Retrospective study of cases in the National Cancer Data Base. Patients diagnosed as having stage I or II OCSCC between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2006, and treated with surgery were identified. Univariate and multivariable analyses of overall survival based on patient, disease, and treatment characteristics were conducted., Main Outcomes and Measures: Overall survival and survival at 5 years., Results: In total, 6830 patients were included. Survival at 5 years was 69.7% (4760 patients). On univariate analysis, treatment factors associated with improved survival included treatment at academic or research institutions, no radiation therapy, no chemotherapy, and negative margins (P < .001 for all). Neck dissection was associated with improved survival (P = .001), reflecting pathologic restaging and elimination of patients with occult nodal disease. Patients treated at academic or research institutions were more likely to receive neck dissection and less likely to receive radiation therapy or have positive margins. On multivariable analysis, neck dissection (hazard ratio [HR], 0.85; 95% CI, 0.76-0.94; P = .003) and treatment at academic or research institutions (HR, 0.88; 95% CI, 1.01-1.26; P = .03) were associated with improved survival, whereas positive margins (HR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.08-1.49; P = .005), insurance through Medicare (HR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.25-1.69; P < .001) or Medicaid (HR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.60-2.39; P < .001), and adjuvant radiation therapy (HR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.16-1.49; P < .001) or adjuvant chemotherapy (HR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.03-1.75; P = .03) were associated with compromised survival., Conclusions and Relevance: Prognostic impacts of treatment factors in early OCSCC are presented. Overall survival for early OCSCC varies with demographic and tumor characteristics but also varies with treatment and system factors, which may represent targets for improving outcomes in this disease.

Importance: Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) provides prognostic information for melanoma; however, a survival benefit has not been demonstrated., Objective: To assess the association of SLNB with survival for melanoma arising in head and neck subsites (HNM)., Design, Setting, and Participants: Propensity score-matched retrospective cohort study using the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database to compare US patients with HNM meeting current recommendations for SLNB, treated from 2004 to 2011 with either (1) SLNB with or without neck dissection, or (2) no SLNB or neck dissection., Interventions: SLNB with or without neck dissection., Main Outcomes and Measures: Disease-specific survival (DSS) estimates based on the Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox proportional hazards modeling to compare survival outcomes between matched pair cohorts., Results: A total of 7266 patients with HNM meeting study criteria were identified from the SEER database. Matching of treatment cohorts was performed using propensity scores modeled on 10 covariates known to be associated with SLNB treatment or melanoma survival. Cohorts were stratified by tumor thickness (thin, >0.75-1.00 mm Breslow thickness; intermediate, >1.00-4.00 mm; and thick, >4.00 mm) and exactly matched within 5 age categories. In the intermediate-thickness cohort, 2808 patients with HNM were matched and balanced by propensity score for SLNB treatment; the 5-year DSS estimate for those treated by SLNB was 89% vs 88% for nodal observation (log-rank P = .30). The hazard ratio for melanoma-specific death was 0.87 for those undergoing SLNB (95% CI, 0.66-1.14; P = .31). In each of the other cohorts analyzed, including those with thin and thick melanomas, and cohorts with melanoma overall, no significant difference in DSS was demonstrated., Conclusions and Relevance: This SEER cohort analysis demonstrates no significant association between SLNB and improved disease-specific survival for patients with HNM.

Background: Management of head and neck carcinoma from unknown primary (HNCUP) remains controversial, with neck dissection and radiotherapy (RT) or definitive RT both commonly used. The purpose of this study was to characterize HNCUP and retrospectively compare outcomes for patients treated with neck dissection + RT versus definitive RT., Methods: From 1994 to 2009, 41 patients with HNCUP underwent either neck dissection + RT (n = 22) or definitive RT ± concurrent chemotherapy (n = 19) at our institution. Treatment outcomes were compared using Kaplan-Meier methods and log-rank test., Results: There were no differences between patients treated with neck dissection + RT and definitive RT in overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), locoregional relapse-free survival (LRFS), freedom from locoregional failure (FFLRG), or freedom from distant failure (FFDF). Among 17 patients who underwent neck dissection + RT for whom human papillomavirus (HPV) status could be determined, HPV(+) patients trended toward improved OS (p = .06) and PFS (p = .15)., Conclusion: Neck dissection and postoperative RT resulted in similar outcomes as definitive RT. The prognostic implications of HPV(+) nodes in HNCUP are similar to those in oropharyngeal primary cancers., (© 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Purpose: We sought to examine prognostic and therapeutic implications, including cost-effectiveness, of elective neck dissection in the management of patients with clinically-determined T1N0 oral tongue carcinoma., Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of patients with cT1N0 oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma who underwent surgical extirpation of primary tumor, with or without elective neck dissection, at UCLA Medical Center from 1990 to 2009 was performed. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to assess effects of variables on time to first loco-regional recurrence. A healthcare costs analysis of elective neck dissection was performed by querying the SEER-Medicare linked database., Results: Of the 123 patients identified with cT1N0 squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue, 88 underwent elective neck dissection at the time of tumor resection while 35 did not. For all patients, disease-free survival at 3, 5, and 10 years was 93%, 82%, and 79%. Of the 88 patients undergoing elective neck dissection, 20 (23%) demonstrated occult metastatic disease. Male gender, tumor size, perineural invasion, and occult metastatic disease were individually associated with higher rates of loco-regional recurrence. There was no significant difference in loco-regional recurrence between those who underwent elective neck dissection and those who did not (HR=0.76, p=0.52). On cost analysis, neck dissection was not associated with any significant difference in Medicare payments., Conclusions: The high rate of occult metastasis (23%) following elective neck dissection, which did not confer additional healthcare costs, leads to the recommendation of elective neck dissection in patients with cT1N0 oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate surgeon preferences for perioperative management of transoral robotic surgery (TORS) and explore the frequency of postoperative complications., Study Design: Retrospective survey., Setting: Multi-institutional., Subjects and Methods: An electronic survey was sent to over 300 TORS-trained surgeons in the United States identified by Intuitive Surgical, Inc. Participation was voluntary and solicited by email invitations to participate 3 times over a 1-month period., Results: A total of 2015 procedures were reported by 45 respondent TORS-trained surgeons: 67% academic, 33% nonacademic. A minority of TORS procedures (n = 214, 10.6%) were performed on previously irradiated patients. Neck dissections were performed concurrently (58%) or staged (42%). Fewer than 6% of TORS procedures required tracheotomy or reconstruction. Most surgeons (62%) initiated oral intake on postoperative day 0-1. Of the patients who required readmission, bleeding (n = 62, 3.1%) was the most common cause followed by dehydration (n = 26, 1.3%). Other complications of surgery included tooth injury (n = 29, 1.4%), percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) dependency >6 months (n = 21, 1.0%), temporary hypoglossal nerve injury (n = 18, 0.9%), and lingual nerve injury (n = 11, 0.6%). A total of 6 deaths (0.3%) were reported within 30 days of TORS. All reported deaths were due to postoperative hemorrhage. The complication rate decreased significantly with higher surgeon case volume (>50 cases)., Conclusions: TORS is associated with a low major complication rate, early initiation of oral intake, and a low rate of long-term PEG dependency. Postoperative hemorrhage was the most common cause of hospital readmission and postoperative mortality.

This article represents a comprehensive review of melanoma of the head and neck. Upon completion of the article, the reader should have an understanding of the differential diagnoses, biopsy techniques, classification, staging, treatment modalities, and reconstructive options for melanoma of the head and neck.

Objective: To evaluate the survival impact of postoperative radiation therapy (RT) in patients with early T stage (T1-2) oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) and a single positive lymph node., Patients: Between 1983 and 2004, a total of 1539 patients were treated with surgery for T1-2N1 OCSCC., Main Outcome Measures: The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database was used to determine whether postoperative RT improves survival in patients with T1-2N1 OCSCC., Results: Postoperative RT improved the 5-year overall survival rate (41.4% for surgery alone vs 54.2% for surgery plus RT [P < .001]). Improvement in overall survival in patients with T1N1 disease did not achieve statistical significance with the addition of RT in contradistinction to that in patients with T2N1 disease. Adjuvant RT improved survival in patients with T2 tongue and floor of mouth disease (52.3% vs 37.9% [P = .002] and 39.9% vs 17.7% [P = .003], respectively)., Conclusion: In cases involving T1-2N1 OCSCC in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database, the use of RT is associated with statistically significant improved overall survival and cause-specific survival in patients with T2 disease, most strongly in the oral tongue and the floor of the mouth.

According to our previous data on papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), recurrences are related to lymph node ratio (number of metastatic lymph nodes/number of dissected nodes) and lymphatic spread of PTC is more symmetrical than previously thought. Therefore, neck dissection should be performed symmetrically. Our basic procedure for clinically evident PTC is total thyroidectomy with central neck dissection. For the cases with jugular chain adenopathy and/or T3, T4 tumor, bilateral lateral neck dissection should be added. Surgical clearance of malignant tissue is important for curability. For micro PTC (T<1 cm), lobectomy with ipsilateral central neck dissection or careful observation are proposed. Meticulous maneuver of parathyroid glands and recurrent laryngeal nerves is essential for above-mentioned procedure.

Objectives: To characterize children undergoing parathyroid, thyroid, and thyroglossal duct cyst surgery in 1997 and 2000 using a nationally representative discharge database to determine whether rates and outcomes of these surgical treatments vary by age, sex, and health care system attributes., Data Source: The 1997 and 2000 Kids' Inpatient Database, available through the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality., Study Selection: All patients 18 years and younger undergoing head and neck endocrine (HNE) procedures were included., Data Extraction: The sampling scheme of this database allowed for calculation of national and regional estimates using Stata 7.0., Data Synthesis: An estimated 2077 and 1871 inpatient pediatric HNE procedures were performed nationally in 1997 and 2000, respectively. Most were performed at general (nonpediatric) teaching hospitals. There were an estimated 1102 thyroglossal duct cyst excisions, making this the most common HNE procedure and diagnosis. Thyroid lobectomy was the second most common HNE surgical treatment. Thyroid malignant neoplasm (usually treated by total thyroidectomy) was the second most common diagnosis. Neck dissections were performed in 32% of patients with thyroid malignant neoplasm. These HNE procedures accounted for more than 28 million dollars in hospital charges in 1997 and nearly 38 million dollars in 2000., Conclusions: Surgical treatment trends for pediatric HNE procedures remained stable between 1997 and 2000. Thyroglossal duct cyst excision and thyroid lobectomy are the most common procedures. There were regional differences in the rates of most HNE surgical treatments. In addition, hospital charges increased between 1997 and 2000.