• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.4769-4774
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• 2013

This paper is the first to present the incidence and overall survival of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) from the extreme northern part of the Philippines. We retrospectively retrieved the records of patients with histologically-confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx and larynx at the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center, Ilocos Norte, Philippines, from 2003 to 2012 and analysed prognostic factors associated with survival. Of the 150 cases, only 80 (53.3%) were still living when the study was terminated. Median age at initial diagnosis was 61.5 years and the male to female ratio was 7:3. The majority of the cases had tumours in the oral cavity (50.7%), followed by the larynx (36.7%). Sex (log rank=1.94, p value/${\alpha}$=0.16), tumor site (log rank=0.02, p value/${\alpha}$=0.90), tumor grade (log rank=1.74, p value/${\alpha}$=0.42), and node stage (log rank=0.07, p value/${\alpha}$=0.80) were not shown to be associated with the survival of our cases. Only 45 (30.0%) had no regional lymph node involvement (N0) at presentation and 12 (8.0%) had already developed distant metastases. Among the 150 patients, 71 (47.3%) were not able to receive treatment of any kind. Oddly, treatment (log rank=1.65, p value/${\alpha}$=0.20) was also shown to be not associated with survival. The survival rate of those who underwent surgery, radiotherapy, or both was not statistically different from those who did not receive any treatment. Only the tumor stage (log rank=4.51, p value/${\alpha}$=0.03) was associated with patient survival. The overall mean survival was 49.3 months, with survival rate diminishing from 88.3% during the 1st year to 1.80% by end of the study. This relatively low survival rate of our cases only reflects their poor access to quality diagnostic and treatment facilities.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.192-199
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• 2018

Purpose: Use of radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy is increasing in hypopharyngeal cancer. However, many show residual tumor after radiotherapy. Timing for treatment evaluation and salvage therapy is essential. However, optimal timing for salvage surgery has not been suggested. In this study, we tried to evaluate optimal timing for salvage surgery. Methods and Materials: Patients who were diagnosed with hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma between 2006 and 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients received definitive radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy. Response of all treated patients were analyzed at 1, 3, and 6 months after radiotherapy. Any patients with progression before 6 months were excluded. Results: A total of 54 patients were analyzed. Complete remission (CR) rates at 1 month (CR₁), 3 months (CR₃) and 6 months (CR₆) were 66.7%, 81.5%, and 90.7%, respectively. Non-CR at 1 month (NCR₁), 3 months (NCR₃), and 6 months (NCR₆) showed poor locoregional recurrence-free survival rates (1-year rates of 63.7%, 66.7%, and 0.0%, respectively) compared to CR₁, CR₃, and CR₆ (1-year rates 94.3%, 88.0%, and 91.5%, respectively). Particularly significant differences were seen between CR₆ and NCR₆ (p < 0.001). Of 10 patients with NCR₃, 5 showed CR at 6 months (NCR₃/CR₆). There was no statistical difference in locoregional recurrence-free survival between CR₃ and NCR₃/CR₆ group (p = 0.990). Conclusion: Our data suggest half of patients who did not show CR at 3 months eventually achieved CR at 6 months. Waiting until 6 months after radiotherapy may be appropriate for avoiding additional salvage therapy.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.112-117
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• 2003

Purpose: The effects of hypefractionation radiation therapy, such as the failure pattern and survival, on the treatment results in advanced stage head and neck cancer were studied. Materials and Methods: Between September 1990 and October 1998, 24 patients with advanced stage (III, IV) head and neck cancers, were treated using hyperfractionation radiation therapy in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center. The male to female ratio was 7 : 1, and the age range from 38 to 71 years with the median of 56 years. With regard to the TNM stage, 11 patients were stage III and 13 were stage IV. The sites of primary cancer were the nasopharynx in six, the hypopharynx in 6, the larynx in five, the oropharynx in three, the maxillary sinus in three, and the oral cavity in one patient. The radiotherapy was delivered by 6 MV X-ray, with a fraction size of 1.2 Gy at two fractions a day, with at least 6 hours inter-fractional interval. The mean total radiation doses was 72 Gy, (ranging from 64.4 to 75.8 Gy). Follow-up periods ranged between 3 and 136 months, with the median of 52 months. Results: The overall survival rates at 3 and 5 years in all patients were 66.7$\%$, and 52.4$\%$. The disease-free survival rates at 3 and S years (3YDFS, 5YDFS) in all patients were 66.7$\%$ and 47.6$\%$. The 3YDFS and 5YDFS in stage III patients were 81.8$\%$ and 63.6$\%$, and those in stage IV patients were 53.8$\%$ and 32.3$\%$. Ten patients were alive with no local nor distant failures at the time of analyses. Six patients (25$\%$) died due to distant metastasis and 12.5$\%$ died due to local failure. Distant metastasis was the major cause of failure, but 2 patients died due to unknown failures and 3 of other diseases. The distant metastasis sites were the lung (3 patients), the bone (1 patient), and the liver (2 patients). One patient died of second esophageal cancer. There were no severe late complications, with the exception of 1 osteo-radionecrosis of the mandible 58 months after treatment. Conclusion: Although this study was peformed on small patients group, we considered hypefractionated radiation therapy for the treatment of advanced stage head and neck cancer might improve the disease free survival and decrease the local failure with no increase in late complications despite of the slight Increase in acute complications.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.225-231
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• 1997

Purpose : Radiation therapy in combination with surgery has an important role in the therapy of the head and neck cancer We conducted a prospective study for patients with head and neck cancer treated with surgery and radiation to evaluate the effect of therapies on the thyroid gland, and to identify the factors that might influence the development of hypothyroidism. Materials and Methods : From September 1986 through December 1994, 71 patients with head and cancer treated with surgery and radiation were included in this prospective study. Patients' age ranged from 32 to 73 years with a median age of 58 years. There were 12 women and 59 men. The primary tumor sites were larynx in 34 patients, hypopharynx in 13 patients, oral cavity in 12 patients, unknown primary of the neck in 6 patients, salivary gland in 3 patients, maxillary sinus in 2 patients, and oropharynx in 1 patient. Total laryngectomy with neck dissection was carried out in 45 patients and neck dissection alone in 26 patients. All patients were serially monitored for thyroid function (T3, T4, free T4, TSH, antithyroglobulin antibody and antimicrosomal antibody) before and after radiation therapy. Radiation dose to the thyroid gland ranged from 40.6Gy to 60Gy with a median dose of 50Gy The follow-up duration was 3 to 80 months. Results :The overall incidence of hypothyroidism was 56.3\%$);7 out of 71 patients $(9.9\%)$ developed clinical hypothyroidism and 33 patients $(46.4\%)$ developed subclinical hypothyroidism. No thyroid nodules, thyroid cancers, or hyperthyroidism was detected. Hypothyroidism developed earlier in patients who underwent total laryngectomy with neck dissection than in patients with neck dissection alone (P<0.05). The risk factor that significantly influenced the incidence of hypothyroidism was a combination of surgery (total laryngectomy with neck dissection) and radiation therapy (P=0.0000), Four of 26 patients $(15.4\%)$ with neck dissection alone developed hypothyroidism while 36 of 45 patients $(80\%)$ with laryngectomy and neck dissection developed hypothyroidism. Conclusion : The hypothyroidism following surgery and radiation therapy was a relatively common complication. The factor that significantly influenced theincidence of hypothyroidism was combination of surgery and radiation therapy. Evaluation of thyroid function before and after radiation therapy with periodic thyroid function tests is recommended for an early detection of hypothyroidism and thyroid hormone replacement therapy is recommended whenever hypothyroidism develops.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.64-70
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• 2010

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to retrospectively evaluate the incidence of hypothyroidism in locally advanced head and neck cancer patients who received radiotherapy (RT) either with or without neck dissection. Materials and Methods: From January 2000 to December 2005, 115 patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer and who received definitive RT or postoperative RT including standard anterior low-neck field were recruited to be part of this study. Nineteen patients had undergone ipsilateral neck dissection, whereas, 18 patients underwent bilateral neck dissection, and 78 patients were received RT alone. Patients' ages ranged from 28 to 85 years (median, 59 years) and there were a total of 73 male and 42 female patients. The primary tumor sites were the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, larynx, and other sites in 18, 40, 28, 22 and 7 patients, respectively. Radiation dose to the thyroid gland ranged from 44 Gy to 66 Gy with a median dose of 50 Gy. Follow-up time ranged from 2 to 91 months, with a median of 29 months. Results: The 1- and 3- year incidence of hypothyroidism was 28.7% (33 patients) and 33.0% (38 patients), respectively. The median time to detection of hypothyroidism was 8.5 months (range, 0 to 36 months). A univariate analysis revealed that neck node dissection was a risk factor for hypothyroidism (p=0.037). However, no factor was statistically significant from the results of a multivariate analysis. Conclusion: Patients treated for advanced head and neck cancer with radiotherapy with or without neck dissection will develop hypothyroidism. It is important to check the thyroid function periodically in these patientsespecially with the risk factor of neck node dissection.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.35-43
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• 1986

Study patients with head and neck carcinoma were studied retrospectively to assess the impact of treatment on survival and local control rate by stage in the Dept of Radiation Therapy, Korea University Hae Wha Hospital between March 1981 and March 1986. Prior to definite radiotherapy, patients were evaluated by physical examination and radiologic studies including chest, laryngogram and CT scan and then these patients were grouped according to the American Joint Committee (AJC) staging system. They were treated with RT alone or postoperative irradiation to the dose of 7,200 cGy/8 weeks and 6,000 cGy/7 weeks respectively. The results were obtained and as follows; 1. Overall male to female sex ratio was 3.6:1. The peak age of patients with head and neck cancer was 6th decade. 2. In all patients treated by RT, the ratio of squamous cell 1 carcinoma to non-squamous cell carcinoma was 3.5:1 (60/77 patients). 3. The incidence according to the anatomic site of primary tumor was 22 cases in the larynx, 12 cases in PNS, 7 cases in nasopharynx, 6 cases in oropharynx, and 3 cases in hypopharynx. 4. According to AJC staging system,4 cases were Stage 1,7 in Stage II, 19 in Stage III and 27 in Stage IV. 5. The overall incidence of cervical lymph node metastases was $43\%$ and subdigatric and submaxillary triangle lymph nodes were the most frequent site of metastases. 6. Local control was achieved in $48\%$ of patients treated by radio-therapy. 7. The lung was the most common site for distant metastases, comprising 4 cases among 7 cases in which distant metastases occured. 8. The overall estimated 5-year survival rate was $43\%$ in the head and neck cancer treated with radiotherapy by life-table analysis.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.154-162
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• 1999

The laryngopharyngectomy for tumor ablation is the most common indication for pharyngoesophageal reconstruction in our country. Most of these cases are advanced laryngeal cancer that has spread beyond the larynx, pharynx and cervical esophagus. Such patients are obviously unable to breathe, swallow, or speak in the normal manner. The ideal reconstruction would restore normal anatomy, permitting patients to breathe and swallow without aspiration, and would not require a permanent tracheostomy. Reconstruction of the pharyngoesophageal defect traditionally been carried out with tubed local random flap, deltopectoral or musculocutaneous flap. Another approach is the pedicled enteric flap. But microsurgical reconstruction of the pharyngoesophagus, using either the free jejunal or the tubed radial forearm flap, have now become the preferred technique. Among them, we used jejunal free flap in 39 cases, tubed radial forearm free flap in 5 cases, patched radial forearm free flap in 2 cases and pectoralis major myocutaneous island flap in 2 cases from December 1990 to Febrary 1999. In this paper we illustrated that both forearm and jejunal free flap is a usful alternative in reconstruction of hypopharynx and cervical esophagus.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.142-147
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• 2003

Purpose: Accurate evaluation of metastatic cervical lymph nodes plays a decisive role in the treatment and prognosis of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. The purpose of this study is to investigate the usefulness of FDG-PET for diagnosis of cervical metastasis in the head and neck cancer by comparing with the conventional imaging study. Materials and Methods: The subjects on this study were 30 patients (24 males and 6 females, aged 39 to 76, mean 57.1) diagnosed as pathologic-proven squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck. All patients underwent preoperative FDG-PET, CT(n=27) or MRI (n=3). Their medical records were reviewed retrospectively. Using pathologic reports as a golden standard, the results of FDG-PET were compared with conventional imaging study (CT/MRI) in the evaluation of cervical metastasis. Results: Thirty patients had five different primary sites which were tongue (11), supraglottis (10), glottis (6), hypopharynx (2) and tonsil (1). A total of 40 neck dissections were performed unilaterally in 20 patients and bilaterally in 10 patients. Of these, 16 showed pathologically positive for lymph node metastasis. The sensitivity and specificity of FDG-PET for the diagnosis of cervical metastasis was 75% and 100% respectively, compared with conventional imaging of 56.3% and 95.8%, respectively. The difference of sensitivity was not statistically significant (p=0.453). Of 5 cases with small metastatic node (<1cm), 3 were detected on PET detected correctly but none were detected by CT. Conclusion: FDG-PET was more accurate than conventional imaging study in the diagnosis of metastatic lymph nodes in squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck, especially detection of small metastatic node. FDG-PET might be useful adjunct to conventional image in the preoperative evaluation of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1999

Purpose : Experimental studies have implicated the wild type p53 In cellular response to radiation. Whether altered p53 function can lead to changes in clinical radiocurability remains an area of ongoing study. This study was performed to investigate whether any correlation between change of p53 and outcome of curative radiation therapy in patients with head and neck cancels. Methods : Immunohistochemical analysis with a mouse monoclonal antibody (DO-7) specific for human p53 was used to detect to overexpression of protein in formalin fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor sample from 55 head and neck cancer patients treated with curative radiation therapy (median dose of 7020 cGy) from February 1988 to March 1996 at 51. Mary's Hospital. Overexpression of p53 was correlated with locoregional control and survival using Kaplan-Meier method. A Cox regression multi-variate analysis was peformed that included all clinical variables and status of p53 expression. Results : Thirty-seven (67.2$\%$) patients showed overexpression of p53 by immunohistochemical staining in their tumor. One hundred percent of oral cavity, 70$\%$ of laryngeal, 66.7$\%$ of oropharyngeal, 66.7$\%$ of hypopharyngeal cancer showed p53 overexpression (P=0.05). The status of p53 had significant relationship with stage of disease (P=0.03) and history of smoking (P=0.001). The overexpression of p53 was not predictive of response rate to radiation therapy. The locoregional control was not significantly affected by p53 status. Overexpression of p53 didn't have any prognostic implication for disease free survival and overall survival. Primary site and stage of disease were significant prognostic factors for survival. Conclusions : The p53 overexpression as detected by immunohistochemical staining had significant correlation with stage, primary site of disease and smoking habit of patients. The p53 overexpression didn't have any predictive value for outcome of curative radiation therapy in a group of head and neck cancers.