Endoscopic sellar floor reconstruction with concha bullosa bone autograft and nasal septal flap: technical case report.

INTRODUCTION: A novel method is introduced for sellar floor reconstruction after expanded endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery using concha bullosa bone autograft and vascularized, posteriorly based flaps of septal mucoperichondrium. CASE REPORT: A 62-year-old woman presented to her primary care physician with the insidious onset of enlarging hands and feet, coarsening of facial features, and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. Endocrine studies revealed elevated growth hormone (22 ng/mL) and somatomedian-C (810 ng/mL) levels. Brain magnetic resonance imaging displayed a 1.2-cm pituitary adenoma. The patient was diagnosed with acromegaly secondary to a pituitary adenoma and underwent expanded endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery for tumor resection. Preoperatively, the patient was noted to have abnormal right middle turbinate pneumatization (concha bullosa). Following adenoma resection, the sellar floor was reconstructed using concha bullosa bone autograft resected during the endonasal approach. Bilateral vascularized nasoseptal mucosal flaps were then placed over the sellar floor. CONCLUSION: In patients with concha bullosa, conchal bone provides a useful substrate for sellar reconstruction after endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery.

Wood dust exposure and the risk of upper aero-digestive and respiratory cancers in males.

BACKGROUND: Wood dust (WD) has been designated a human carcinogen that can cause sino-nasal cancers. However, evidence of its association with other upper aero-digestive tract and respiratory (UADR) cancers is inconsistent. OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between WD exposure and the risk of different histological subtypes of UADR cancers. METHODS: In a hospital-based case-control study conducted at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA, an examination was carried out to determine the effect of self-reported WD exposure on 1522 male UADR cancer cases (241 oral and oropharyngeal, 90 nasal cavity, nasopharyngeal and hypopharyngeal, 124 laryngeal, 809 lung and tracheal and 258 oesophagus and gastric cardia) and 1522 male controls, frequency matched on age and smoking history. Odds ratios (OR) were calculated after adjusting for relevant risk factors including tobacco smoking. RESULTS: The results show that regular WD exposure was associated with a statistically significant increased risk of 32% for all UADR cancers (OR 1.32; 95% CI 1.01 to 1.77; p-trend = 0.05) and 69% for lung cancer alone (OR 1.69; 95% CI 1.20 to 2.36; p-trend = 0.007). WD was associated with an 82-93% increased risk of squamous cell, small cell and adenocarcinoma of the lung and more than twice the risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma of the nasal cavity, nasopharynx and hypopharynx, with a significant dose-response relationship. Oral and oropharyngeal cancers showed a non-significant increase in risk. A significant increase in risk of laryngeal and lung cancers was noted for subjects regularly exposed to WD for >20 years. Cancers of the oesophagus and gastric cardia did not show any risk associated with WD. WD was associated with a significantly greater risk of UADR cancers among people who had ever smoked than never smokers. CONCLUSION: WD exposure is a potential risk factor for UADR cancers, especially for cancers of the nasal cavity, nasopharynx, larynx and lung.

The use of photodynamic therapy using 630nm laser light and porfimer sodium for the treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma.

PDT has been demonstrated in clinical studies to be an efficacious method for the treatment of dysplastic, microinvasive and early forms of cancer. The advantage of PDT for early carcinomas of the oral cavity is the ability to preserve normal tissues while effectively treating cancers up to 1cm in depth. The case presented here successfully demonstrates the ability to use PDT to treat maxillary gingival squamous cell carcinoma thereby sparing the use of surgery or radiation therapy at this point in the management of the disease.

Primary adenocarcinoma of cervical esophagus.

Most upper esophageal malignancies are squamous cell carcinomas, rarely adenocarcinomas arising from Barrett's esophagus and very rarely adenocarcinomas from heterotopic gastric mucosa without evidence of Barrett's especially in the cervical part of the esophagus. We report a case of adenocarcinoma of the polypoid type in the upper esophagus (cervical esophagus) arising from ectopic gastric mucosa, in a 60 year-old man who presented with progressive dysphagia. Accurate diagnosis by esophagogram revealed a large mass in the cervical esophagus; CAT scan showed intraluminal mass at the level of thoracic inlet, esophagogastroscopy showed a fleshy polyp (3.2cm x 3.0cm) at 20 cm from the incisors with a biopsy confirming moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma with no evidence of Barrett's esophagus. Through a left cervical approach and resection of medial third of clavicle, the tumor was removed by partial esophagectomy followed by lymph node dissection, and proved to be T1NOMO, stage I (AJCC staging 6th ed.). Post operatively, the patient received chemoradiation with no evidence of recurrence or metastasis in six years of follow up. It seems this tumor has a much better prognosis than adenocarcinomas arising from Barrett's. To our knowledge only 19 cases have been reported in literature so far.

Simultaneously presenting head and neck and lung cancer: a diagnostic and treatment dilemma.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Synchronous tumors are defined as malignancies presenting within 6 months of the index tumors. A significant subset of patients present at initial evaluation with malignant tumors of both the head and neck (head and neck squamous cell carcinoma) and the lung, which are termed simultaneous primaries. The management and treatment outcomes in this cohort of patients have not been clearly defined and are the subject of the present review. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review of previously untreated patients. METHODS: From January 1974 to December 1997, a total of 2964 patients were treated for mucosal squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Forty-two patients fulfilled the criteria for synchronous head and neck and lung malignancy. Of these, 27 patients had simultaneous tumors of the head and neck and the lung. This cohort of patients (n = 27) was stratified into three treatment groups. Patients in group A (n = 10) had resectable head and neck and lung primaries treated with curative intent. Group B (n = 8) was composed of patients who could have been treated with curative intent but declined and were given only palliative therapy. Patients in group C (n = 9) were candidates for only palliative treatment. RESULTS: The estimated 5-year disease-specific survival in group A was 47%, whereas patients in group B had a 5-year disease-specific survival of only 13% (P =.05). There were no survivors beyond 1 year in group C. The presence of mediastinal adenopathy in patients in group A portended poor clinical outcome. There was an estimated 5-year disease-specific survival of 51% in patients with no preoperative evidence of mediastinal adenopathy (n = 7), whereas 67% of patients with radiological evidence of mediastinal adenopathy died (two of three patients). CONCLUSION: The presence of simultaneous head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and pulmonary malignancies should not be a deterrent to aggressive surgical therapy because a potentially satisfactory outcome can be expected in these patients.

Cancer of the buccal mucosa: are margins and T-stage accurate predictors of local control?

UNLABELLED: Cancer of the buccal mucosa is an uncommon and aggressive neoplasm of the oral cavity. Less than 2% of patients treated for cancer of the oral cavity at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) from 1971 to 1997 had primary buccal cancers. Because the majority of these patients did not undergo any adjuvant treatment, this group provided us with the opportunity to assess the relationship between margin status and local recurrence for both small (T1-T2) and large (T3-T4) tumors treated with surgery alone. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The RPCI tumor registry database reported 104 patients who were treated for buccal carcinoma. A retrospective chart review identified 27 patients who met our criteria for a buccal mucosal primary tumor (epicenter of the mass in the buccal mucosa). There were 13 men and 14 women, ranging in age from 34 to 94 years (mean, 75). Data were collected regarding patient demographics, presenting symptoms, stage, treatment received, and outcome. RESULTS: All patients underwent surgical resection of their primary lesion; 21 (75%) had T1 or T2 tumors. The rate of local recurrence was 56% for the group as a whole. Patients with close or positive margins had a 66% local failure rate as compared with 52% when surgical margins were negative (greater than or equal to 5 mm from the resection margin after tissue fixation; P = ns). Among those in whom negative margins were achieved, patients with T1-T2 disease had a 40% local failure rate with surgical resection alone. CONCLUSIONS: Local excision of T1 and T2 buccal mucosa cancers with pathologically negative margins had a high rate of local recurrence in our series. Low T-stage and negative margins are not adequate predictors of local control. Even early buccal tumors may benefit from adjuvant therapy to enhance local control.

Accuracy of frozen-section diagnosis in salivary gland neoplasms.

A retrospective review of 100 patients with major or minor salivary gland neoplasms was conducted to ascertain the accuracy and effect on therapy of frozen-section diagnosis. Of these patients, 23% had malignant and 77% benign neoplasms. Twelve patients benefited by further surgery during the initial operation, and no treatment delay occurred as a result of frozen-section diagnosis. There were four incorrect diagnoses of clinical significance, two false positives (benign tumor called malignant on frozen section) and two false negatives (malignant tumor called benign on frozen section). The accuracy of frozen section for specific pathologic diagnosis was 92%. No unnecessary radical surgery was performed. Frozen-section diagnosis of salivary gland neoplasms in our institution was found to be accurate and useful.

Anterolateral extrapharyngeal approach for cervical osteophyte-induced dysphagia. Literature review.

While it is estimated that hypertrophic cervical osteophytes occur in up to 20% to 30% of the population, they are only rarely associated with dysphagia. Pathophysiologically, dysphagia may occur secondary to 1) mechanical compression with partial obstruction, or 2) periesophageal inflammation caused by pharyngoesophageal motion over the osteophytes. A careful history, indirect laryngoscopy, cineesophagography, and lateral cervical spine films establish the diagnosis in most patients. While routine rigid endoscopy is potentially hazardous in view of the recognized risk of inadvertent pharyngoesophageal perforation, it may be necessary in selected patients to rule out the presence of other more common causes of dysphagia. Conservative management consisting of sedation, antiinflammatory medication, and reassurance is often sufficient in patients with only mild to moderate and often transient symptoms. The value of surgical therapy for this disorder has been debated, but most agree that surgical excision is appropriate in selected patients whose symptoms are severe and progressive. In this report, two patients illustrate the dichotomy between and value of both conservative and surgical approaches. While both transoropharyngeal and transcervical extrapharyngeal surgical approaches have been used, a comprehensive review of the results of such procedures has not been reported. In this report a detailed description of the anterolateral extrapharyngeal approach for the excision of these osteophytes is given, and its value compared to other surgical techniques discussed.