[Unusual cervical cyst. Adenocarcinoma ex-pleomorphic adenoma of a minor salivary gland]. / Quiste cervical inusual. adenocarcinoma ex-adenoma pleomorfo de glándula salival menor.

Cysts with an origin in a malignant tumour of the cervical region are rare. It is even more uncommon that the malignant tumour has its origin in a minor salivary gland as it is the malignant transformation of a pleomorphic adenoma. Some considerations are made regarding its localization, histopathology, diagnosis and therapeuthic attitude, as well as some advices to take into account in order to arrive to the diagnosis and correct treatment in similar cases to the one shown.

[Distant metastases in head and neck cancer]. / Metástasis a distancia en el cáncer de cabeza y cuello.

INTRODUCTION: The presence of distant metastasis (DM) after the initial treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is not considered a common event and it is associated to a poor outcome. PURPOSE: To investigate the prevalence and risk factors associated with the diagnosis of distant metastasis in SCC. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A retrospective study of 633 patients with HNSCC to describe the clinical characteristics of the DM. RESULTS: During the follow-up period after the initial treatment, 6.2% of the patients were diagnosed of having distant metastasis. The site of primary tumor was hypopharynx in 14.4%, unknown origin in 11.8% and oropharynx in 8.5%. The most common sites of DM were the lungs (58%) and the bone (22%). Three year overall survival in patients with DM was 2.5% (versus 49,5% in the control group). CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that DM have an adverse impact in survival. There is a need of guidelines for screening of distant metastases in patients with HNSCC in order to get an early diagnosis and a more effective treatment. Because of the poor prognosis of DM, protocols including adjuvant chemotherapy should be investigated.

[Otorhinolaryngological consultation material in PDA: SEORL-PDA]. / Material de Consulta de Otorrinolaringología en PDA: SEORL-PDA.

OBJECTIVES: Occasionally, the Otolaryngologist needs to accede quickly to medical information in order to retrieve data or to solve doubts. In this way, it seems to be of interest to design a clinical guide that could be consulted as a PDA program (Pocket PC and Palm versions), in a personal computer or Internet. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Clinical contents of protocols, guides, and articles, preferably based on the evidence and the clinical experience of 102 authors. Implementation of a program that allows the guide to be used in a PDA, to update it or to add notes using tools that could be downloaded from a web page. RESULTS: A clinical practice guide SEORL-PDA version 1.1, with thirteen ENT's topics, calculation algorithms, internal links and possibility of update the content and to add notes. DISCUSSION: SEORL-PDA is a clinical guide in PDA format, with enough information and possibilities. Its downloading and installation is easily done following the instructions of the web created with these purposes.

[Second primary tumors in head and neck cancer]. / Segundos tumores primarios en el cáncer escamoso de cabeza y cuello.

INTRODUCTION: The development of second primary tumors (SPT) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has become an increasingly important factor in clinical treatment decisions. PURPOSE: To define favourable clinical characteristics for overall survival, in patients with SP head and neck cancer. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Records of 633 patients with SCC treated from 1984 to 2004 were reviewed to describe clinical characteristics of the SPT. RESULTS: The overall incidence of SPT was 11%. The incidence of the index tumors was as follows: supraglottic cancer 21% and oral cancer 16%. The most common SPT occurred in head and neck area in 47%, lung in 32% and esophagus in 11%. Second primary was associated with a poor 5 years survival in patients with HN-SCC (23 versus 53% in control group). CONCLUSION: Because of the high rate of second primary tumors, protocols including chemoprophylaxis should be investigated. Prevention and early detection are indicated.

[Multimedia educational material. A tool of support to the Otolaryngology training]. / Material educativo multimedia. Una herramienta de apoyo a la enseñanza de la Otorrinolaringología.

Due to multimedia technologies, the medical information has taken an extraordinary growing. Nevertheless, the education at University will turn out to be a more complex pedagogic process. We present a multimedia educational material (MEM), developed as an online course to "Seminars of Otolaryngology", and available free at the University website. MEM was designed and edited by, ENT teachers, pedagogues, and image and computer experts. It has been structured as a series of modules that integrate texts, images, movie clips, video, audio and animations. The schematic presentation stands out with progressive access to the topics through internal and external links. The pedagogic resources give additional support by learning objectives, glossary, references, index and searcher. Finally, the activities and instrumental simulations complete the training in diagnosis and treatment. The MEM is an interactive useful software program for medical training in Otolaryngology, without avoiding the key figure of the teacher.

[DNA ploidy and S phase in relation to metastases of pharyngolaryngeal epidermoid carcinoma]. / Ploidía de ADN y fase S en relación con las metástasis de los carcinomas epidermoides faringolaríngeos.

Lymph node metastases in pharyngolaryngeal squamous-cell carcinoma are the clinical finding that most precisely condition prognosis. Sometimes the presence of subclinical metastases modifies the initial therapeutic strategy because they are not detected by physical exploration or imaging techniques. We tried to establish a relationship between the tumor's intrinsic aggressiveness and the development of metastases through tumoral DNA damage. Aneuploidy and the S phase were more frequent in tumors of the larynx, particularly supraglottic tumors, that developed lymph node metastases (72%) than in diploid tumors with a normal S phase (18%). In pharyngeal tumors, no differences could be established because most were aneuploid with a high S phase and metastases. Flow cytometry is highly sensitive, but not sufficiently specific for routine clinical use. However, it is a useful point of departure for our line of research, which will continue with a search for more specific genetic or molecular markers of metastases among the general DNA abnormalities.

[Clinico-histological scale for identifying preinvasive lesions of the larynx]. / Escala clínico-histológica en el pronóstico de las lesiones preinvasivas de laringe.

Preinvasive laryngeal lesions progress to infiltrating carcinoma in 7-15% of cases. Clinical manifestations and histological findings are not reliably predictive of progression. Quantitative cytometry improves predictive effectiveness, but is not a routine procedure. A clinico-histological scale consisting of 13 variables which were combined and used prospectively had a predictive value of 0.8 sensitivity and 0.9 specificity for progression of preinvasive laryngeal lesions.

[Internal jugular thrombophlebitis: complications of the cervical oncological surgery. A case report]. / Tromboflebitis de la yugular interna: complicación de la cirugía oncológica cervical. Presentación de un caso.

Internal jugular vein thrombophlebitis is an infrequent complications, associated in the past to pharyngeal and amygdaline infections but related today to the use of catheters and intravenous drugs. The present paper reports the case of a patient who underwent total laryngectomy and functional neck dissection, developing recurrent neumonias and sepsis in the postoperative period which were secondary to an homolateral jugular thrombophlebitis. A physical exploration with no findings and the poor resolution of CT scan and ultrasound due to postsurgical alterations, lead to a late diagnosis and fatal evolution, in spite of the medical and surgical treatment.

[Follicular adenoma in lingual thyroid: report of a case]. / Adenoma folicular en tiroides lingual: a propósito de un caso.

We present a case of follicular adenoma which has its origin in a unique lingual thyroid. The interest lies in the oddity of this pathology and in the unusual clinical form of dysphagia. In spite of the fact that the thyroid ectopy is a congenital anomaly in the development of the thyroid, the history of previous administration of cervical radiotherapy and the diagnosis in an elderly person makes us suppose, in this case, that there is a different etiopathology.