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SCC of pinna – which histological features could predict prognosis?

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the pinna is reported to have a higher rate of metastasis than cutaneous SCC originating from elsewhere - up to 16% compared with less than 2% for the latter. The authors aimed to assess...

Contemporary UK experience of oropharyngeal transoral laser microsurgery

It is well recognised that the current emergence of HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) as a distinct disease entity requires a fresh look at standard treatment modalities that are based on chemoradiotherapy for stage III/IVa OPSCC. The Newcastle experience...

Postoperative radiation in early stage oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer (OPSCC)

There is significant variation in treatment strategies for OPSCC between units. This is largely due to unanswered questions which continue to exist beyond the published literature. We know that human papilloma virus status has a significant influence on prognosis but...

Factors affecting the occurrence of salivary fistula after total laryngectomy

It is generally believed that patients should be fed by nasogastric tube for 7-10 days after undergoing total laryngectomy or laryngopharyngectomy to avoid the occurrence of post-operative salivary fistula. This study challenges this belief and looks into various factors that...

Extracapsular dissection alone for low-grade malignancies of the parotid gland – oncologically sound?

The general treatment strategy advocated for a primary carcinoma of the parotid gland is surgical resection +/- adjuvant radiotherapy. A selective neck dissection is usually recommended in all cases of parotid malignancies, except for small, low-grade tumours. In this paper,...

Outcomes of reirradiation for recurrent head and neck SCC

Recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck is often a challenge to manage when radiotherapy has previously been administered as a component of the initial treatment. Salvage surgery is usually the preferred modality of treatment, but for unresectable...

Microvascular surgery - does size matter

Success rates for microvascular free tissue transfer performed for head and neck reconstruction are currently very high. As the recipient vessel diameter decreases, questions of reliability and ease of access are raised. This retrospective analysis looked at 89 flaps in...

Cochlear implantation in elderly candidates and effect on quality of life

The authors aimed to assess the improvement in quality of life (QoL) of cochlear implant patients over 60 and its relation to audiometric benefits. An observational retrospective study was conducted on 26 individuals older than 60. The outcome was compared...

Helmets make a difference in bicycle injuries

This is a meta-analysis of maxillofacial injuries arising from riding a bicycle. The incidence of maxillofacial fractures in cycling accidents varies from 3-20% and, whilst the effectiveness of helmets in preventing traumatic brain injuries is well known, their protective effect...

Effects of age on neuro-physiological processing of speech at brainstem level

Degenerative changes associated with ageing may affect processing of spectral and temporal cues in speech at cortical and subcortical levels, even though these individuals may have normal audiometric thresholds. These changes are more likely to be picked up by speech...