Myofascial pain syndrome after head and neck cancer treatment: Prevalence, risk factors, and influence on quality of life.

BACKGROUND: Patients undergoing treatment for head and neck cancer may develop myofascial pain syndrome as sequelae. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence, risk factors, and quality of life (QOL) related to myofascial pain syndrome. METHODS: This was a prospective study including patients with head and neck cancer with at least a 1-year disease-free interval. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-seven patients were analyzed, and myofascial pain syndrome was diagnosed in 20 (11.9%). In the multivariate analysis, hypopharyngeal tumors (odds ratio [OR] = 6.35; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.58-25.56) and neck dissection (OR = 3.43; 95% CI = 1.16-10.17) were independent factors for myofascial pain syndrome. The pain (p < .001) and shoulder domain (p < .001) as well as overall University of Washington Quality of Life (UW-QOL) score (p = .006) were significantly lower in the patients with myofascial pain syndrome. CONCLUSION: Myofascial pain syndrome was observed in 1 of 9 patients after head and neck cancer treatment and a worse QOL was observed among them. Tumor site and neck dissection were found to be risk factors for myofascial pain syndrome.

Total thyroidectomy with ultrasonic scalpel: a multicenter, randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The ultrasonic scalpel is a recently introduced device in head and neck surgery. Total thyroidectomy is the most common endocrine procedure performed by surgeons. METHODS: This was an open, phase IV, multicenter, randomized controlled trial (RCT) that compared the use of an ultrasonic scalpel with a conventional technique in patients who underwent total thyroidectomy. The outcomes were surgical complication rate, operative time, drainage volume, postoperative pain, and costs. RESULTS: In all, 261 patients were included in 11 centers. There was a mean difference of 17% of operative time in favor of the ultrasonic scalpel group. There were no differences in postoperative complications. There was a difference in costs of 14% in favor of the ultrasonic scalpel group, but it was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The use of an ultrasonic scalpel was as safe as that of the conventional technique and had the advantage of a shorter operative time and lower postoperative drainage. Costs were not different between groups.

Pesquisa do linfonodo sentinela em carcinomas espinocelulares de cavidade oral classificados como T1 e T2 N0 / Sentinel lymph node in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma classified as T1 and T2 N0

Introdução: A abordagem cervical em pacientes portadores decarcinoma epidermoide (CE) de cavidade oral classificados comoT1 ou T2 N0 ainda é controversa. A pesquisa do linfonodo sentinela(PLS), representa um menor risco de morbidades para o pacientecom uma boa acurácia para detecção de metástases ocultas.Objetivo: Avaliar a evolução de pacientes submetidos à PLS empescoço clinicamente N0. Método: É um estudo retrospectivoque avaliou os pacientes portadores de CE de cavidade oralclassificados como T1 ou T2 N0 submetidos ressecção do tumorprimário e PLS entre Junho de 2008 até Fevereiro de 2011 noHospital de Câncer de Barretos. Resultados: Foram incluídos 26pacientes, a maioria eram homens (73,0%), a média de idade foide 58 anos e o local mais frequente dos CE foi a língua (50,0%).Os carcinomas foram estadiados como T1 em 8 pacientes (33,3%)e T2 em 16 (66,7%). A PLS mostrou-se positiva em 5 pacientes(19,2%). Todos os pacientes em que a pesquisa do LS mostrousepositiva, foram submetidos a esvaziamento cervical seletivo.O seguimento médio dos pacientes foi de 11 meses, nesteperíodo a recorrência no pescoço homolateral a PLS ocorreu em2 pacientes (7,7%). Conclusão: Neste estudo o LS foi positivo19,2% e a recidiva cervical ocorreu em 7,7%. Observou-se que atécnica de PLS é factível e segura como único procedimento paraestadiamento do pescoço apresentando resultados oncológicoscomparáveis à realização do esvaziamento cervical seletivo comoprimeira opção para estes pacientes.

Case-control study on prognostic factors in oral squamous cell carcinoma in young patients.

BACKGROUND: Oral squamous cell carcinoma affects mainly patients between the fifth and sixth decades of life, being rare in the young (≤40 years old). METHODS: Demographic, clinical, and pathologic features, and the long-term survival of 125 patients younger than 41 years of age were compared with 250 control patients older than 50 years old. Data were submitted to Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests. RESULTS: The percentage of nonsmokers was higher in the younger patients (p = .04). In the younger patients, tumors at advanced clinical stage (p < .01) and poorly differentiated tumors (p = .01) were associated with a higher risk of recurrence. The relapse rate was higher in the younger patients (p = .02); however, there was no significant difference on overall survival (p = .86). The younger patients diagnosed after the 1990s had less advanced clinical stage tumors, had an increase in the use of combination of surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, and their overall survival was improved. CONCLUSION: This study emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis and aggressive treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma.