Peeping Beyond TNM Stage: Prognostic Factors Affecting Oncological Outcomes in Surgically Treated Early Oral Cancer.

Surgery is the primary modality for the treatment of early oral cancer. The present study aims to evaluate the oncological outcomes, patterns of failure, and prognostic predictors of recurrence in patients of early oral cancer (Stage I and II) treated by surgery alone. It is a single institutional, observational retrospective cohort study conducted from 2012 to 2017.The study was approved by institutional ethics committee. All consecutive patients who underwent upfront curative surgery alone (wide excision of tumour + neck dissection) for pathologically proven early oral cavity SCC(Squamous Cell Carcinoma) pT1-2N0 were included in the study. 113 patients were included in the study after a median follow-up of 58.2 months. The median age was 58.5 years. 25 patients were stage I, and 88 patients were stage II. The most common subsite was buccal mucosa. There were 31 recurrences and 24 deaths. Using Kaplan Meier method, 3 and 5 year overall survival was 92% and 71.8%, respectively, while 3 year and 5 year recurrence-free survival was 77.9% and 69.4%, respectively. Perineural invasion and poor differentiation affected recurrence-free survival significantly (p value < 0.05). More than one-fourth of surgically treated early oral SCC patients developed recurrence. Presence of poorly differentiated histology and the perineural invasion were the high risk factors which hampered the recurrence free survival. High consumption of betel quid consumption in this part of the world leads to differences in the involved subsite from the Western literature. Adding adjuvant treatment in the presence of these adverse histopathological features may improve prognosis. Randomised studies are warranted to answer this dilemma. Level of Evidence IV.

Submandibular Gland in Neck Dissection: Necessary Fatality or Unfortunate Prey?

Excision of submandibular gland is currently victim in all neck dissections. In this study we intend to estimate the prevalence of submandibular gland involvement in squamous cell oral carcinomas and identify the factors associated with it. This is a single institutional, retrospective observational study conducted from 22 to 2018 to 28 February 2020. 317 patients were included for analysis as per study criteria. The prevalence of involvement of submandibular gland was 3.8%. Increased risk of submandibular gland involvement was associated with involvement of level-Ib nodes (Odds ratio: 13.6, 2.9-63.3, 95% CI and p = < 0.001) and presence of extra-nodal extension (Odds ratio: 67, 8.4-532, 95% CI and p = < 0.001) and perineurial invasion (Odds ratio: 5, 1.6-16.8 and p = 0.003). In oral cancers, especially early stage carcinoma of buccal mucosa, submandibular gland preservation may be feasible in absence of extra-nodal extension and level-Ib involvement.

Pattern of Nodal Metastasis in Relation to Size of the Primary Tumour in Well-Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma.

This study was conducted to see the pattern of neck node metastasis in relation to the size of primary tumour in Well-differentiated thyroid cancer. A prospective study on 50 patients was carried out in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Dr B. Borooah Cancer Institute from 1st August, 2018 to 31st July, 2019. All new cases who had not previously received treatment were included which were histopathogically proven. Residual and recurrent cases were not taken into account. Most common age-group affected was 21-30 years (24%). It was more common in females (84%). Papillary thyroid cancer has been found to be the most common histological type of WDTC (88%), out of which the classical variant of PTC constitute 72%. 46% of them had tumour size > 4 cm 88% cases had cervical neck node metastases, out of which 72% were unilateral and 16% were bilateral. The commonest level involved was level VI. There is a definite correlation (clinical and histological) between increased involvement of positivity of lymph node in relation to size of the primary tumour in well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

Dysbiosis of salivary microbiome and cytokines influence oral squamous cell carcinoma through inflammation.

Advanced combinatorial treatments of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy do not have any effect on the enhancement of a 5-year survival rate of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The discovery of early diagnostic non-invasive biomarkers is required to improve the survival rate of OSCC patients. Recently, it has been reported that oral microbiome has a significant contribution to the development of OSCC. Oral microbiome induces inflammatory response through the production of cytokines and chemokines that enhances tumor cell proliferation and survival. The study aims to develop saliva-based oral microbiome and cytokine biomarker panel that screen OSCC patients based on the level of the microbiome and cytokine differences. We compared the oral microbiome signatures and cytokine level in the saliva of OSCC patients and healthy individuals by 16S rRNA gene sequencing targeting the V3/V4 region using the MiSeq platform and cytokine assay, respectively. The higher abundance of Prevotella melaninogenica, Fusobacterium sp., Veillonella parvula, Porphyromonas endodontalis, Prevotella pallens, Dialister, Streptococcus anginosus, Prevotella nigrescens, Campylobacter ureolyticus, Prevotella nanceiensis, Peptostreptococcus anaerobius and significant elevation of IL-8, IL-6, TNF-α, GM-CSF, and IFN-γ in the saliva of patients having OSCC. Oncobacteria such as S. anginosus, V. parvula, P. endodontalis, and P. anaerobius may contribute to the development of OSCC by increasing inflammation via increased expression of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, IFN-γ, and GM-CSF. These oncobacteria and cytokines panels could potentially be used as a non-invasive biomarker in clinical practice for more efficient screening and early detection of OSCC patients.

Alterations of salivary microbial community associated with oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients.

The highest number (35.1% of global incident cases) of new oropharyngeal (OP) and hypopharyngeal (HP) cancer cases was reported in South-Central Asia. The highest incidence of HP cancer in India was reported in East Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya, Aizawl District of Mizoram, and Kamrup Urban District of Assam. HP and OP cancer showed the highest mortality rate, worst prognoses and the highest rate of nodal metastases and distant metastases. Thus, research is required to detect specific biomarkers for early prevention and diagnosis for these cancers. Oral microbiome signatures in saliva are considered as a potential diagnostic biomarker for OP and HP cancer. Bacterial profile alterations in OP and HP cancer have not been reported in India population, to establish the association of oral bacteria in the progression of OP and HP cancer; we studied bacterial communities in saliva of eight OP and seven HP cancer patients as compared to healthy controls using 16S rRNA V3-V4 region sequencing. The higher abundance of Haemophilus parainfluenzae, Haemophilus influenzae and Prevotella copri and lower abundance of Rothia mucilaginosa, Aggregatibacter segnis, Veillonella dispar, Prevotella nanceiensis, Rothia aeria, Capnocytophaga ochracea, Neisseria bacilliformis, Prevotella nigrescens and Selenomonas noxia in saliva of OP and HP cancer patients may be considered as a non-invasive diagnostic biomarker for OP and HP cancer patients. Streptococcus anginosus may be considered as a non-invasive diagnostic biomarker for OP cancer patients only. Therefore, evaluation of salivary microbial biomarkers may be informative to understand the pathobiology and carcinogenesis of OP and HP cancer.

Metastatic involvement of level IIb nodal station in oral squamous cell carcinoma: A clinicopathological study.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of Level IIb metastasis in patients with oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 110 newly diagnosed oral cavity cancer patients requiring surgery as the primary modality were included in the study. Preoperative clinical examinations were done and tumor-node-metastasis staging was noted. Intraoperatively, Level IIb nodal tissue was dissected and sent separately. RESULTS: A total of 129 neck dissections (58 SOHD, 67 modified neck dissections, and 4 radical neck dissections) were carried out in 110 patients (males = 80 and females = 30), 91 patients required unilateral neck dissection, and 19 patients required bilateral neck dissection. Out of these 129 neck dissections, only 4 (3.2%) neck dissections (in a total of 3 patients out of 110 patients) had Level IIb positive (with bilateral Level IIb involvement in one patient). CONCLUSIONS: Dissection of the Level IIb region in patients with OSCC may be required only in cases with advanced N stage, positive Level IIa lymph nodes, and extracapsular spread. Furthermore, in tongue cancers (high propensity of isolated Level II involvement), retromolar trigone, and floor of mouth cancers, routine Level IIb clearance should be considered.

Alcohol and Tobacco Increases Risk of High Risk HPV Infection in Head and Neck Cancer Patients: Study from North-East Region of India.

BACKGROUND: Human papilloma virus (HPV) associated Head and Neck Cancers (HNCs) have generated significant amount of research interest in recent times. Due to high incidence of HNCs and lack of sufficient data on high-risk HPV (hr-HPV) infection from North -East region of India, this study was conceived to investigate hr-HPV infection, its types and its association with life style habits such as tobacco, alcohol consumption etc. METHODS: A total of one hundred and six primary HNC tumor biopsy specimens were collected. These samples were analyzed for hr-HPV DNA (13 HPV types) using hybrid capture 2 (HC2) assay and genotyping was done by E6 nested multiplex PCR (NMPCR). RESULTS: The presence of hr-HPV was confirmed in 31.13% (n = 33) and 24.52% (n = 26) of the HNC patients by nested multiplex PCR (NMPCR) and HC2 assay respectively. Among hr-HPV positive cases, out of thirteen hr- HPV types analyzed, only two prevalent genotypes, HPV-16 (81.81%) followed by HPV-18 (18.18%) were found. Significant association was observed between hr-HPV infection with alcohol consumption (p <0.001) and tobacco chewing (p = 0.02) in HNC cases. Compared to HPV-18 infection the HPV-16 was found to be significantly associated with tobacco chewing (p = 0.02) habit. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that tobacco chewing and alcohol consumption may act as risk factors for hr-HPV infection in HNCs from the North-East region of India. This was the first study from North-East India which also assessed the clinical applicability of HC2 assay in HNC patient specimens. We suggest that alcohol, tobacco and hr- HPV infection act synergistically or complement each other in the process of HNC development and progression in the present study population.