RESUMO
High perioperative mortality and complication rates during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have been reported. In head and neck reconstruction, not only is patient safety important, but the prevention of infection introduced by the surgical team is also important because the procedure is performed in close proximity to the upper respiratory tract. In addition, recent studies have reported an increased risk for thrombus formation after infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) or COVID-19 vaccination, which is problematic for microsurgical reconstruction procedures. At the authors' institution, patients undergoing head and neck reconstruction are requested to stay home for 2 weeks and undergo screening tests for COVID-19 before admission. Surgeons use standard personal protective equipment during surgery. There was no significant difference in the rate of total flap necrosis between the COVID-19 and non-pandemic periods or large difference of perioperative complication rates between vaccinated and non-vaccinated patients. No surgery-related infections among the surgical staff were also found.
Assuntos
COVID-19 , Retalhos de Tecido Biológico , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço , Procedimentos de Cirurgia Plástica , Humanos , COVID-19/prevenção & controle , COVID-19/epidemiologia , Procedimentos de Cirurgia Plástica/métodos , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/cirurgia , SARS-CoV-2 , Equipamento de Proteção Individual , Masculino , Feminino , Complicações Pós-Operatórias/epidemiologia , Pessoa de Meia-IdadeRESUMO
The past decade has seen exponential advancements in molecular markers and the genetics of tumors, recognizing the limitations of conventional histopathology for grading, classification, and prognostication. Such advances have resulted in changes to classification systems, for example, with the incorporation of objective molecular and genetic information into the 2021 World Health Organization (WHO) classification of central nervous system tumors. The fifth edition of the WHO classification of head and neck tumors (HN5) (beta online version, 2022) also introduced major changes based on molecular markers, including additions, deletions, and reclassifications of entities, with the idea of being more objective and standardized. These changes are highly relevant to therapy decisions, prognosis, and clinical research and for patients with resistant diseases to explore options in clinical trials. The HN5, for the first time, included a radiologist as a member of the writing team to incorporate pertinent imaging findings into the classification. It is important for the radiologist, as an integral part of the multidisciplinary team, to be up to date about these changes for a better understanding of tumor biology, to integrate this into their clinical practice, and to provide more value in their interpretations. The authors provide a basic understanding of pathology and genetics for the radiologist, highlighting the molecular changes in epithelial (including squamous cell) and nonepithelial tumors of the head and neck. The authors also highlight newly recognized and reclassified tumor entities and provide a brief discussion on the genetic tumor syndromes. ©RSNA, 2024 Supplemental material is available for this article. See the invited commentary by Junn and Baugnon in this issue.
Assuntos
Biomarcadores Tumorais , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço , Organização Mundial da Saúde , Humanos , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/diagnóstico por imagem , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/genética , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/classificaçãoRESUMO
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a highly malignant disease with high death rates that have remained substantially unaltered for decades. Therefore, new treatment approaches are urgently needed. Human papillomavirus-negative tumors harbor areas of terminally differentiated tissue that are characterized by cornification. Dissecting this intrinsic ability of HNSCC cells to irreversibly differentiate into non-malignant cells may have tumor-targeting potential. We modeled the cornification of HNSCC cells in a primary spheroid model and analyzed the mechanisms underlying differentiation by ATAC-seq and RNA-seq. Results were verified by immunofluorescence using human HNSCC tissue of distinct anatomical locations. HNSCC cell differentiation was accompanied by cell adhesion, proliferation stop, diminished tumor-initiating potential in immunodeficient mice, and activation of a wound-healing-associated signaling program. Small promoter accessibility increased despite overall chromatin closure. Differentiating cells upregulated KRT17 and cornification markers. Although KRT17 represents a basal stem cell marker in normal mucosa, we confirm KRT17 to represent an early differentiation marker in HNSCC tissue. Cornification was frequently found surrounding necrotic areas in human tumors, indicating an involvement of pro-inflammatory stimuli. Indeed, inflammatory mediators activated the differentiation program in primary HNSCC cells. In HNSCC tissue, distinct cell differentiation states were found to create a common tissue architecture in normal mucosa and HNSCCs. Our data demonstrate a loss of cell malignancy upon faithful HNSCC cell differentiation, indicating that targeted differentiation approaches may be therapeutically valuable. Moreover, we describe KRT17 to be a candidate biomarker for HNSCC cell differentiation and early tumor detection.
Assuntos
Diferenciação Celular , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas de Cabeça e Pescoço , Humanos , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/patologia , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/genética , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/metabolismo , Animais , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas de Cabeça e Pescoço/genética , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas de Cabeça e Pescoço/patologia , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas de Cabeça e Pescoço/metabolismo , Camundongos , Epigênese Genética , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Mucosa/patologia , Mucosa/metabolismo , Proliferação de Células , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão GênicaRESUMO
Oral mucositis is a common and debilitating oral complication in head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy, resulting in diminished quality of life and potential treatment disruptions. Oral microbiota has long been recognized as a contributing factor in the initiation and progression of radiation-induced oral mucositis (RIOM). Numerous studies have indicated that the radiation-induced oral microbial dysbiosis promotes the occurrence and severity of oral mucositis. Therefore, approaches that modulate oral microbial ecology are promising for the management of RIOM. Probiotics as a relatively predicable and safe measure that modulates microecology have garnered significant interest. In this review, we discussed the correlation between RIOM and oral microbiota, with a particular focus on the efficacy of probiotics in the control of RIOM, in order to provide novel paradigm for the management of this disease.
Assuntos
Disbiose , Probióticos , Lesões por Radiação , Estomatite , Probióticos/uso terapêutico , Humanos , Estomatite/etiologia , Estomatite/microbiologia , Estomatite/terapia , Estomatite/prevenção & controle , Lesões por Radiação/terapia , Microbiota , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/radioterapia , Radioterapia/efeitos adversos , Boca/microbiologia , Qualidade de VidaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Vessel grafting is an important technique in head and neck free tissue transfer (FTT) reconstruction when a tension-free anastomosis is not otherwise feasible. To our knowledge, there are limited data regarding interposition artery grafts for arterial anastomoses in head and neck reconstruction. Here, we present a multi-institutional cohort of arterial interposition grafts for FTT reconstruction for head and neck defects. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted at four tertiary care institutions for patients who underwent FTT reconstruction for head and neck defects which utilized an interposition artery graft for the arterial anastomosis. Charts were reviewed for type and length of artery grafts harvested, surgical indication, indication for artery graft, types of flaps harvested, and various preoperative characteristics (including history of radiation or previous FTT reconstruction surgery). Postoperative complications within postoperative day 30 were measured and reported. RESULTS: Nine patients met inclusion criteria. The lateral circumflex femoral artery (either transverse or descending branches) (n = 3) and facial artery (n = 3) were the most commonly harvested arteries. The scalp (n = 5) was the most common primary defect site. Seven grafts were harvested initially and in a planned fashion, while two were harvested as salvage techniques (either for flap salvage or vein graft failure). In planned grafts, arteries were the preferred interposition grafting method due to either size match preferences (n = 4) or similarities in wall thickness (n = 3) between graft and recipient artery. There were no reported cases of unplanned readmission, postoperative hematoma, fistula formation, wound infection, or donor site morbidities. Two patients required unplanned return to the operating room for flap compromise, both of which ultimately resulted in flap failure secondary to clot formation at both arterial and venous anastomoses. CONCLUSIONS: When arterial pedicle length is insufficient, interposition artery grafting is both a feasible and viable technique to achieve tension-free arterial anastomoses for select cases of highly complex head and neck free tissue reconstruction.
Assuntos
Anastomose Cirúrgica , Retalhos de Tecido Biológico , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço , Procedimentos de Cirurgia Plástica , Humanos , Estudos Retrospectivos , Retalhos de Tecido Biológico/irrigação sanguínea , Retalhos de Tecido Biológico/transplante , Procedimentos de Cirurgia Plástica/métodos , Anastomose Cirúrgica/métodos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Feminino , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/cirurgia , Idoso , Adulto , Artérias/transplante , Resultado do Tratamento , Enxerto Vascular/métodosRESUMO
PURPOSE: Social eating (SE) is a corner stone of daily living activities, quality of life (QoL), and aging well. In addition to feeding functional disorders, patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) face individual and social psychological distress. In this aging population, we intended to better assess the influence of age on these challenges, and the role of self-stigmatization limiting SE in patients with and beyond HNC. METHODS: This was an exploratory multicenter cross-sectional mixed method study. Eligibility criteria were adults diagnosed with various non-metastatic HNC, before, during, or until 5 years after treatment. SE disorders were explored with the Performance Status Scale Public Eating rate (PSS-HN PE). In the quantitative part of the study, SE habits, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Body Image Scale (FACT-MBIS) and specific to HNC (FACT-HN35) were also filled in by the patients. In the qualitative study, the semi-structured interview guide was drawn out to explore stigma, especially different dimensions of self-stigmatization. RESULTS: A total of 112 patients were included, mean age 64.7 years, 23.2% of female. One-third (n = 35) of patients had an abnormal PSS-HN PE rate < 100. Younger patients had more often an impaired Normalcy of Diet mean (70.4 vs 82.7, p = .0498) and PE rates (76 vs 86.9, p = .0622), but there was no difference between age subgroups in MBIS nor FACT-HN scores. Seventy patients (72.2%) found SE and drinking « important¼ to « extremely important¼ in their daily life. The qualitative study reported self-stigmatization in two older patients and strategies they have developed to cope with in their behaviors of SE. CONCLUSION: This study confirms that SE remains of high concern in patients with and beyond HNC. Even in older patients experiencing less often functional feeding disorders, body image changes and SE issues are as impaired as in younger patients and need to be addressed.
Assuntos
Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço , Qualidade de Vida , Humanos , Feminino , Masculino , Estudos Transversais , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/psicologia , Idoso , França , Fatores Etários , Estigma Social , Adulto , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Pacientes Ambulatoriais/psicologia , Pacientes Ambulatoriais/estatística & dados numéricos , Imagem Corporal/psicologia , Comportamento Alimentar/psicologiaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Recent randomized phase III trials have demonstrated the efficacy of anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in treating patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (RMHNSCC). However, a large proportion of such patients still have poor response. This study aimed to identify biomarkers for predicting anti-PD-1 ICI treatment outcomes . METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 144 patients with RMHNSCC who received anti-PD-1 ICIs after progression to platinum-based chemotherapy between January 2017 and December 2022 at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. Data on clinicopathological parameters, albumin levels, calcium levels, and other pretreatment peripheral blood biomarkers, including total lymphocyte count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) were collected and correlated with the treatment outcome of anti-PD-1 ICIs. RESULTS: Low tumor proportion score (TPS), low combined positive score (CPS), NLR ≥ 5, PLR ≥ 300, hypercalcemia, hypoalbuminemia, and PNI < 45 were significantly correlated with poor response of ICIs. The overall response rates were 25% and 3% in patients with calcium < 10 mg/dL and calcium ≥ 10 mg/dL, respectively (P = 0.007). The overall response rates were 6% and 33% in patients with albumin < 4 g/dL and albumin ≥ 4 g/dL, respectively (P < 0.001). Univariate survival analysis showed that low TPS, low CPS, NLR ≥ 5,, hypercalcemia, hypoalbuminemia, and PNI < 45 were significantly associated with worse progression-free survival (PFS) and inferior overall survival (OS). Multivariate analysis revealed that calcium ≥ 10 mg/dL and albumin < 4 g/dL were independent poor prognosticators for worse PFS and inferior OS. The two-year OS rates were 26% and 9% in patients with calcium < 10 mg/dL and ≥ 10 mg/dL, respectively (P < 0.001). The two-year OS rates were 10% and 33% in patients with albumin < 4 g/dL and ≥ 4 g/dL, respectively (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Hypercalcemia and hypoalbuminemia can potentially predict poor treatment outcomes of anti-PD-1 ICIs in patients with RMHNSCC. Blood calcium and albumin levels may be helpful in individualizing treatment strategies for patients with RMHNSCC.
Assuntos
Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço , Hipercalcemia , Hipoalbuminemia , Inibidores de Checkpoint Imunológico , Recidiva Local de Neoplasia , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas de Cabeça e Pescoço , Humanos , Masculino , Feminino , Estudos Retrospectivos , Inibidores de Checkpoint Imunológico/uso terapêutico , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas de Cabeça e Pescoço/tratamento farmacológico , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas de Cabeça e Pescoço/sangue , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas de Cabeça e Pescoço/patologia , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas de Cabeça e Pescoço/imunologia , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/patologia , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/sangue , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/complicações , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/imunologia , Idoso , Hipercalcemia/tratamento farmacológico , Hipercalcemia/sangue , Hipercalcemia/etiologia , Recidiva Local de Neoplasia/tratamento farmacológico , Recidiva Local de Neoplasia/patologia , Prognóstico , Taxa de Sobrevida , Hipoalbuminemia/complicações , Hipoalbuminemia/etiologia , Adulto , Seguimentos , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Receptor de Morte Celular Programada 1/antagonistas & inibidores , Biomarcadores Tumorais/sangueRESUMO
PURPOSE: Metallic taste (MT) is frequently observed during head and neck cancer treatments, but very little is known about its impact on nutritional status. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of MT on the quality of life and nutritional status in patients with head and neck cancer expressing MT. METHODS: Questionnaires on quality of life, MT, weight, and food intake were filled out by 44 patients with head and neck cancer before, during, and up to 1 year after their treatment. Patients were divided into two groups based on their reported experience of MT. RESULTS: MT was commonly observed (n = 12, 27.2%), always during the treatment phase, and mostly linked with radiotherapy or radiochemotherapy. Reported MT intensity was moderate (n = 6, 40%) to high (n = 4, 26.7%). MT had a significant negative impact on quality of life linked to dysgeusia (p = 0.025). The negative impacts of MT on food intake and on weight were not significant, possibly due to a combination of sample size, dropouts, and duration of observation. Further research in this area could provide additional insights into how to better address the issue related to MT and enhance the quality of care provided to this patient population. CONCLUSION: Metallic taste, experienced by 27.2% of the 44 patients with head and neck cancer, contributes to dysgeusia and results in a significant decline in quality of life associated with dysgeusia. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov trial registration number: NCT03558789.
Assuntos
Disgeusia , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço , Estado Nutricional , Qualidade de Vida , Humanos , Masculino , Feminino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Idoso , Inquéritos e Questionários , Disgeusia/etiologia , Disgeusia/epidemiologia , Adulto , Ingestão de Alimentos/fisiologia , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Paladar , Distúrbios do Paladar/etiologiaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: In free jejunum transfer, knowing the ischemic tolerance time of the jejunum is crucial. It helps determine the need for reharvesting if an unexpected situation prolongs the ischemic time. The current ischemic tolerance time in humans is unknown. We investigated the relationship between ischemic time and postoperative complications in head and neck cancer patients who underwent free jejunum transfer. METHODS: The study included 76 patients with available medical records out of 103 patients who underwent free jejunum transfer between 2009 and 2023. The association between the surgical procedure, including ischemic time, and patient's background, and flap engraftment, stenosis of the intestinal anastomosis, the swallowing function, and other complications was investigated. RESULTS: The ischemic time for jejunal flaps ranged from 1 h 24 min to 6 h, with a mean of 197 ± 55.5 min. In 72 patients, the jejunum was successfully engrafted, but vascular occlusion occurred in another four patients. In three of these patients, jejunal necrosis occurred, and there was no specific trend in ischemic time. Stenosis of the intestinal anastomosis occurred in 17 cases (22%), with ischemic time (≥3 h) and age (≥75 years) being significant factors for stenosis (ischemic time: 30% vs. 10%, p = 0.048, age: 50% vs. 15%, p < 0.01). No significant correlations were observed with other complications or the swallowing function. CONCLUSION: There was no specific trend between ischemic time and jejunal survival rate, indicating that an ischemic time within 6 h may not have affected engraftment. Although we have recently performed intestinal anastomosis prior to vascular anastomosis, the choice of surgical technique should be adapted to the patient's age and background.
Assuntos
Retalhos de Tecido Biológico , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço , Isquemia , Jejuno , Complicações Pós-Operatórias , Humanos , Jejuno/transplante , Jejuno/cirurgia , Jejuno/irrigação sanguínea , Masculino , Feminino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Idoso , Retalhos de Tecido Biológico/irrigação sanguínea , Retalhos de Tecido Biológico/transplante , Retalhos de Tecido Biológico/efeitos adversos , Complicações Pós-Operatórias/epidemiologia , Complicações Pós-Operatórias/etiologia , Adulto , Isquemia/etiologia , Estudos Retrospectivos , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/cirurgia , Procedimentos de Cirurgia Plástica/métodos , Procedimentos de Cirurgia Plástica/efeitos adversos , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Sobrevivência de Enxerto , Anastomose Cirúrgica/métodos , Anastomose Cirúrgica/efeitos adversos , Fatores de TempoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Immunotherapy provided significant survival benefits for recurrent and metastatic patients with head and neck cancer. These improvements could not be reproduced in patients treated with curative-intent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and the optimal radio-immunotherapy (RIT) concepts have yet to be designed. Exploration and analysis of the pre-therapeutic immune status of these patients and the changes occurring during the treatment course could be crucial in rationally designing future combined treatments. METHODS: Blood samples were collected from a cohort of 25 head and neck cancer patients treated with curative-intended (C)-RT prior to therapy, after the first week of treatment, and three months after treatment completion. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) or all nucleated blood cells were isolated and analyzed via flow cytometry. RESULTS: At baseline, patients showed reduced monocyte and lymphocyte counts compared to healthy individuals. Although overall CD8+ T-cell frequencies were reduced, the proportion of memory subsets were increased in patients. Radiotherapy (RT) treatment led to a further increase in CD8+ effector memory T-cells. Among myeloid populations, tumor-promoting subsets became less abundant after RT, in favor of pro-inflammatory cells. CONCLUSION: The present study prospectively demonstrated a complex interplay and distinct longitudinal changes in the composition of lymphocytic and myeloid populations during curative (C)-RT of head and neck cancer. Further validation of this method in a larger cohort could allow for better treatment guidance and tailored incorporation of immunotherapies (IT) in the future.
Assuntos
Quimiorradioterapia , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço , Células Mieloides , Humanos , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/terapia , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/imunologia , Quimiorradioterapia/métodos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Feminino , Idoso , Células Mieloides/imunologia , Estudos Longitudinais , Adulto , Estudos ProspectivosRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Radiotherapy (RT) is used in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) with excellent effectiveness, but it is burdened by important side effects, which may negatively impact patients' quality of life (QoL). In particular when associated with chemotherapy (CT), that has a radiosensitising effect (and its own toxicities), it is responsible for several adverse events, causing social discomfort and lower QoL, in patients who are already experiencing several tumor-related discomforts. Prehabilitation is a healthcare intervention consisting of several specialist visits prior to the start of treatment, with the aim of improving the patient's health status, resolving symptoms that interfere with treatment and impact QoL, and finally to better avoid or overcome complications. Of all cancer patients, HNSCC patients are among those who could benefit most from prehabilitation, both because of the high number of symptoms and toxicities and their difficult management. Despite this and the emerging data, prehabilitation is not often considered for the majority of patients undergoing (C)RT. In this review, we tried to understand what are the main areas in which interventions can be made prior to the (C)RT start, the possible side effects of the treatment, the effectiveness in their prevention and management, and the impact that prehabilitation may have in adherence to therapy and on the principal survival outcomes, providing important guidance for the planning of future studies. EVIDENCES AND CONCLUSIONS: Although there is no strong data evaluating multidisciplinary prehabilitation strategies, evidence shows that optimizing the patient's health status and preventing possible complications improve the QoL, reduce the incidence and severity of adverse events, and improve treatment adherence. While cardiology prehabilitation is of paramount importance for all patients undergoing concomitant CRT in the prevention of possible side effects, the remaining interventions are useful independently of the type of treatment proposed. Geriatricians have a key role in both elderly patients and younger patients characterized by many comorbidities to comprehensively assess health status and indicate which treatment may be the best in terms of risk/benefit ratio. Collaboration between nutritionists and phoniatrics, on the other hand, ensures adequate nutritional intake for the patient, where possible orally. This is because optimizing both body weight and muscle mass and qualities has been shown to impact key survival outcomes. Finally, HNSCC patients have the second highest suicide rate, and the disease has side effects such as pain, dysfiguration, and sialorrhea that can reduce the patient's social life and create shame and embarrassment: A psychological intake, in addition to the usefulness to the patient, can also provide current support to caregivers and family members. Therefore clinicians must define a personalized pathway for patients, considering the characteristics of the disease and the type of treatment proposed, to optimize health status and prevent possible side effects while also improving QoL and treatment adherence.
Assuntos
Quimiorradioterapia , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço , Qualidade de Vida , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas de Cabeça e Pescoço , Humanos , Quimiorradioterapia/métodos , Quimiorradioterapia/efeitos adversos , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/terapia , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas de Cabeça e Pescoço/terapia , Exercício Pré-Operatório , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/terapiaRESUMO
Meaningful engagement with stakeholders in research demands intentional approaches. This paper describes the development of a framework to guide stakeholder engagement as research partners in a pragmatic trial proposed to evaluate behavioral interventions for dysphagia in head and neck cancer patients. We highlight the core principles of stakeholder engagement including representation of all perspectives, meaningful participation, respectful partnership with stakeholders, and accountability to stakeholders; and describe how these principles were operationalized to engage relevant stakeholders throughout the course of a large clinical trial.
Assuntos
Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço , Participação dos Interessados , Humanos , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/terapia , Transtornos de Deglutição/terapia , Transtornos de Deglutição/etiologia , Projetos de Pesquisa , Ensaios Clínicos Pragmáticos como Assunto/métodos , Participação do PacienteRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Patients with head and neck cancers (HNC) experience many transitions in care (TiC), occurring when patients are transferred between healthcare providers and/or settings. TiC can compromise patient safety, decrease patient satisfaction, and increase healthcare costs. The evidence around TiC among patients with HNC is sparse. The objective of this study was to improve our understanding of TiC among patients with HNC to identify ways to improve care. METHODS: This multimethod study consisted of two phases: Phase I (retrospective population-based cohort study) characterized the number and type of TiC that patients with HNC experienced using deterministically linked, population-based administrative health data in Alberta, Canada (January 1, 2012, to September 1, 2020), and Phase II (qualitative descriptive study) used semi-structured interviews to explore the lived experiences of patients with HNC and their healthcare providers during TiC. RESULTS: There were 3,752 patients with HNC; most were male (70.8%) with a mean age at diagnosis of 63.3 years (SD 13.1). Patients underwent an average of 1.6 (SD 0.7) treatments, commonly transitioning from surgery to radiotherapy (21.2%). Many patients with HNC were admitted to the hospital during the study period, averaging 3.3 (SD 3.0) hospital admissions and 7.8 (SD 12.6) emergency department visits per patient over the study period. Visits to healthcare providers were also frequent, with the highest number of physician visits being to general practitioners (average = 70.51 per patient). Analysis of sixteen semi-structured interviews (ten patients with HNC and six healthcare providers) revealed three themes: (1) Navigating the healthcare system including challenges with the complexity of HNC care amongst healthcare system pressures, (2) Relational head and neck cancer care which encompasses patient expectations and relationships, and (3) System and individual impact of transitions in care. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified challenges faced by both patients with HNC and their healthcare providers amidst the frequent TiC within cancer care, which was perceived to have an impact on quality of care. These findings provide crucial insights that can inform and guide future research or the development of health interventions aiming to improve the quality of TiC within this patient population.
Assuntos
Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço , Humanos , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/terapia , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/psicologia , Masculino , Feminino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Idoso , Estudos Retrospectivos , Alberta , Transferência de Pacientes , Satisfação do Paciente , Pesquisa Qualitativa , Continuidade da Assistência ao PacienteRESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Malignant wounds are lesions caused by metastasis from distant primary cancers or by direct invasion of the cutaneous structures of a primary cancer, and are most common in patients with breast or head and neck cancers. Malignant wounds not only cause physical symptoms, but also affect survival. Recognizing prognosis in terminal-stage cancer patients is necessary for both patients and health care providers. The prognostic impact of malignant wounds in patients with head and neck cancer has been poorly investigated. METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of the results of a prospective cohort study that investigated the dying process in patients with advanced cancer in 23 palliative care units in Japan. The primary outcome of this study was the prognostic impact of malignant wounds in patients with head and neck cancer. The difference in survival between patients with head and neck cancer who had malignant wounds and those who did not was compared using the log-rank test. RESULTS: Of 1896 patients admitted to palliative care units, 68 had head and neck cancer, and 29 of these had malignant wounds. Overall survival was significantly shorter in patients with malignant wounds than that in those without (median: 19.0 days vs 32.0 days, P = 0.046). CONCLUSION: Patients with head and neck cancer who had malignant wounds had worse overall survival than those who did not.
Assuntos
Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço , Cuidados Paliativos , Humanos , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/patologia , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/complicações , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/mortalidade , Prognóstico , Estudos Prospectivos , Feminino , Masculino , Idoso , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Japão/epidemiologia , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , AdultoRESUMO
In vivo treatment monitoring in ion therapy is one of the key issues for improving the treatment quality assurance procedures. Range verification is one of the most relevant and yet complex task used for in vivo treatment monitoring. In carbon ion therapy, positron emission tomography is the most widely used method. This technique exploits the ß+-activity of positron emitters created by nuclear interactions between the incoming beam and the irradiated tissue. Currently, high computational efforts and time-consuming Monte Carlo simulation platforms are typically used to predict positron emitter distributions. In order to avoid time-consuming simulations, an extended filtering approach was suggested to analytically predict positron emitter profiles from depth dose distributions in carbon ion therapy. The purpose of this work is to investigate such an analytical prediction model in patient anatomies of varying complexity, highlighting its potential and the need of further improvements, especially in highly heterogeneous anatomies where many air cavities are present in the beam path. The accuracy of range verification showed a mean relative error of â¼3% and a deviation between the simulation and the prediction below 2mm for the three patient cases analysed: a brain case and two head and neck cases. Additional investigations demonstrated the region of applicability of the method for cases of patient data. The analytical method enables range verification in carbon ion therapy by replacing computing-intensive Monte Carlo simulations and thus minimize the PET monitoring burden on the clinical workflow.
Assuntos
Algoritmos , Radioterapia com Íons Pesados , Método de Monte Carlo , Tomografia por Emissão de Pósitrons , Humanos , Tomografia por Emissão de Pósitrons/métodos , Simulação por Computador , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/radioterapia , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/diagnóstico por imagem , Neoplasias Encefálicas/radioterapia , Neoplasias Encefálicas/diagnóstico por imagem , Dosagem Radioterapêutica , Planejamento da Radioterapia Assistida por Computador/métodosRESUMO
Cancer patients often experience changes in mental health, prompting an exploration into whether nerves infiltrating tumors contribute to these alterations by impacting brain functions. Using a mouse model for head and neck cancer and neuronal tracing, we show that tumor-infiltrating nerves connect to distinct brain areas. The activation of this neuronal circuitry altered behaviors (decreased nest-building, increased latency to eat a cookie, and reduced wheel running). Tumor-infiltrating nociceptor neurons exhibited heightened calcium activity and brain regions receiving these neural projections showed elevated Fos as well as increased calcium responses compared to non-tumor-bearing counterparts. The genetic elimination of nociceptor neurons decreased brain Fos expression and mitigated the behavioral alterations induced by the presence of the tumor. While analgesic treatment restored nesting and cookie test behaviors, it did not fully restore voluntary wheel running indicating that pain is not the exclusive driver of such behavioral shifts. Unraveling the interaction between the tumor, infiltrating nerves, and the brain is pivotal to developing targeted interventions to alleviate the mental health burdens associated with cancer.
A lot of cancer survivors experience a decline in mental health, persisting often decades after successful treatment. Many factors contribute to this reduced mental well-being, including the physical, emotional and financial stresses they experience. Scientists think that the increased prevalence of mental health disorders among cancer patients and survivors may also be linked to the cancer itself. Previous research has shown that most tumors, in particular in melanomas, cervical and ovarian cancers, and head and neck cancers, contain sensory nerves that sense thermal, mechanical and chemical changes and so alert an organism about a potential danger, such as extreme temperature, pressure, changes in pH or inflammation. To investigate whether these nerves contribute to the worsened mental health of cancer patients, Barr, Walz et al. studied male mice with tumors growing in their mouths, mimicking the disease of patients with head and neck cancers. The mice with tumors exhibited several altered behaviors linked to their well-being, suggesting that they had reduced overall health compared to mice without tumors. For example, they were less inclined to build nests, accept treats or run on a wheel. Next, Barr, Walz et al. injected a fluorescent dye into the tumors to label the nerves inside the cancerous growths. Fluorescence microscopy and imaging studies revealed that, days later, the dye had traveled to multiple regions of the brain, indicating that the nerves in the tumors had connected to a preexisting nerve circuit that included these brain regions. Further experiments revealed that the nerve cells in these brain regions were more active in mice with tumors and had different functional properties compared to mice without tumors. Removing the connecting nerves either genetically or with a drug improved all the behaviors of the mice with tumors. Treating the mice with painkillers also improved some but not all of their behaviors, indicating that pain is not the exclusive driver of such behavioral shifts. These two experiments suggest that the nerves from the tumors relay information about pain to the brain and contribute to reduced well-being of the mice. Further studies will test whether these tumor-brain connections also contribute to behavioral changes in mice with other types of cancer. The data suggest that disrupting the neural connections between a tumor and the brain may improve the mental health of patients with cancer, but more research is needed to establish this link.
Assuntos
Encéfalo , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço , Animais , Camundongos , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/fisiopatologia , Comportamento Animal , Neurônios/fisiologia , Neurônios/metabolismo , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , MasculinoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), as key cell populations in the tumor microenvironment (TME), play a crucial role in tumor regulation. Previous studies on a prognostic signature of 8 CAF-related genes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) revealed that Secreted frizzled-related protein 1 (SFRP1) is one of the hub genes closely related to CAFs. SFRP1 is deficiently expressed in numerous types of cancer and is classified as a tumor suppressor gene. However, the role of SFRP1 in TME regulation in HNSCC remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the role of SFRP1 in the proliferation and migration of HNSCC cells by mediating CAFs and their regulatory mechanisms. METHODS: The expression differences, prognosis, and immune infiltration of SFRP1 in HNSCC were analyzed using the TIMER and GEPIA2 databases. The expression of SFRP1 in HNSCC tumor tissues, as well as the expression and secretion of SFRP1 in CAFs and tumor cells, were examined. An indirect co-culture system was constructed to detect the proliferation, migration, and apoptosis of HNSCC cells, and to clarify the effect of SFRP1 on tumor cells by mediating CAFs. Furthermore, the expression and secretion of 10 cytokines derived from CAFs that act on immune cells were verified. RESULTS: SFRP1 was differently expressed in HNSCC tumor tissues and highly expressed in CAFs. SFRP1 inhibited the proliferation and migration of tumor cells and promoted apoptosis by mediating CAFs. The detection of CAFs-derived factors suggested that the mechanism of action of SFRP1 was associated with the regulation of immune cells. CONCLUSION: SFRP1 inhibits the proliferation and migration of HNSCC cells by mediating CAFs, and the mechanism of action is related to the regulation of immune cells, which may provide new research directions and therapeutic targets for HNSCC.
Assuntos
Fibroblastos Associados a Câncer , Movimento Celular , Proliferação de Células , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço , Peptídeos e Proteínas de Sinalização Intercelular , Proteínas de Membrana , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas de Cabeça e Pescoço , Microambiente Tumoral , Humanos , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas de Cabeça e Pescoço/patologia , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas de Cabeça e Pescoço/genética , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas de Cabeça e Pescoço/metabolismo , Movimento Celular/genética , Fibroblastos Associados a Câncer/metabolismo , Fibroblastos Associados a Câncer/patologia , Proteínas de Membrana/metabolismo , Proteínas de Membrana/genética , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/patologia , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/genética , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/metabolismo , Peptídeos e Proteínas de Sinalização Intercelular/metabolismo , Peptídeos e Proteínas de Sinalização Intercelular/genética , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Prognóstico , Apoptose , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão GênicaRESUMO
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (H&NSCC) is an anatomic, biological, and genetic complex disease. It involves more than 1000 genes implied in its oncogenesis; for this review, we limit our search and description to the genes implied in the onco-ontogeny of the derivates from the first pharyngeal arch during embryo development. They can be grouped as transcription factors and signaling molecules (that act as growth factors that bind to receptors). Finally, we propose the term embryo-oncogenesis to refer to the activation, reactivation, and use of the genes involved in the embryo's development during the oncogenesis or malignant tumor invasion and metastasis events as part of an onco-ontogenic inverse process.