• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.15
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• pp.6193-6200
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• 2015

Head and neck cancer, including oral cancer, is the sixth most common cancer in humans worldwide. More than 90% of oral cancers are of squamous cell carcinoma type. Recent studies have shown a strong relationship between human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and head and neck cancer, especially oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Moreover, the incidence of HPV-related OSCC appears to be on the rise while HPV-unrelated OSCC tends to have stabilized in the past decades. p16, a tumor suppressor gene, normally functions as a regulator of the cell cycle. Upon infection with high-risk types of HPV (HR-HPV), particularly types 16, 18, 31, 33, 34, 35, 39, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 66, 68, and 70, the expression of p16 is aberrantly overexpressed. Therefore, the expression of p16 is widely used as a surrogate marker for HPV infection in head and neck cancer.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.156-160
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• 2004

Background and Objectives: Neck metastasis is one of the most important prognostic factors in treating tonsillar cancer. Incidence and pattern of lymph node metastasis of tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma are the basic knowledge of treatment decision. Occult metastasis rate of tonsillar cancer and pattern of metastasis, failure pattern, survival were retrospectively analyzed. Patients and Methods: Seventy six patients who underwent surgery for tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma as an initial treatment from 1992 to 2004 were evaluated. Charts, imaging studies and pathologic reports were reviewed. Results: At the time of surgery, 78% of patients with tonsillar cancer had neck metastasis and 66% had multiple node metastasis. Occult neck metastasis was in 26%. There was high incidence of neck metastasis even in early stage of primary lesion. Conclusion: High incidence of lymph node metastasis was confirmed histopathologically in tonsillar cancer. All tonsillar cancer patients may need elective treatment of the neck. Tonsillar cancer had relatively good prognosis even though its neck metastasis rate is very high.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.5-11
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• 1988

CT examination has been used in the preoperative examination of patients with head and neck cancer. The accuracy of CT in detecting nodal metastases has not been well established. We studied 35 patients (41 neck specimens) with head and neck cancer who underwent neck dissection. Surgical pathologic findings were compared with preoperative CT scan to establish the diagnostic accuracy for cervical lymph node metastases. The results of physical examination, CT scans of neck and histologic examinations were compared each other. The overall diagnostic accuracy of CT was 83.3%. Comparison with clinical accuracy shows the CT scan to be superior to the clinical examination in spite of careful physical examination, particularly in detecting occult metastases.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.71-78
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• 1990

The reconstruction of huge surgical defect is one of the major problems in the surgical treatment of the cancer of the head and neck. The latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap, which is one of the most versatile myocutaneous flap, is a reliable method of reconstruction for extensive wounds in the head and neck. Due to the difficult patient positioning, its uses are reserved for the extensive defects or for the cases in which other traditional flaps have failed. The authors successfully reconstructed large surgical defects in the head and neck region using LDMC flap in five patients.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.26-28
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• 2013

Thyroid hemiagenesis is rare congenital anomaly that one lobe of thyroid fails to develop. It is often asymptomatic and discovered incidentally with other thyroid disease such as hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, multinodular goiter, benign adenoma and cancer. Most cases reported are left thyroid lobe agenesis and occurred in female. Compensatory hypertrophy occurs in most cases. Many cases are asymptomatic and detected incidentally, so awareness of its existence can help its detection and proper treatment. Here, we report a case of thyroid hemiagenesis accompanying hypothyroidism with a review of literature.

• Korean Journal of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
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• v.61 no.12
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• pp.697-701
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• 2018

Background and Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate surgical completeness in endoscopic total thyroidectomy with central neck dissection via unilateral axillo-breast approach (UABA) compared with bilateral axillo-breast (BABA) and open approach (OA) by means of the radioactive iodine uptake (RAIU) ratio and thyroglobulin (Tg) of remnant thyroid. Subjects and Method From July 2010 to March 2013, 82 patients who had underwent total thyroidectomy with central neck dissection and postoperative radioactive iodine (RAI) ablation for papillary thyroid carcinoma were enrolled. Of these patients, 27 patients underwent UABA, 24 patients BABA, and 31 patients OA. Clinicopathologic data, surgical outcome, stimulated Tg and RAIU ratio on the first postoperative RAI ablation scan were compared among 3 groups. Results Patients in the endoscopic surgery groups (UABA, BABA) were younger than those in the OA groups. Invasiveness such as operation time, postoperative pain, and drain amount in UABA was less than that in BABA and severer than that in OA. Other variables regarding clinicopathologic and surgical data were not significantly different. Stimulated Tg and RAIU ratio did not show significant differences among 3 groups (p=0.659 and p=0.664). Conclusion The completeness of UABA was comparable with that of BABA and OA. The UABA may be a safe option for patients who need endoscopic thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid carcinoma.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.9-13
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• 2000

Objectives: To determine the tumor interstitial fluid pressure(TIFP) in patients with head and neck cancerand predict radiotherapy outcome.Materials and Methods: In 12 biopsy proven primary head and neck cancer patients with accessible by direct inspection and palpation, and of sufficient thickness(>1cm) to permit accurate needle placement, we measured TIFP at cervical lymph node before and during radiotherapy using a modified wick-in-needle technique. Tumor size was measured clinically and radiologically. Results: The mean preradiotherapy TIFP was 23.4mmHg. Preradiotherapy TIFP had significant relationship with tumor size(p=0.0009). Preradiotherapy TIFP was not different between complete response group and partial or less response group(p=0.114). Radiotherapy outcome was not different between group with above and group with below average TIFP(p=0.09). Conclusion: The mean TIFP was elevated with 23.4mmHg before radiation therapy. Preradiotherapy TIFP had significant relationship with tumor size. It is not definitive that TIFP could be prognostic indicator of radiation response.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.19-27
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• 2008

Purpose: Microvascular reconstructive surgery has become an integral part of the treatment of head and neck cancer patients. This review of 121 free flaps for head and neck cancer patients performed over the last 11 years was done to evaluate circulatory crisis, salvage, and secondary reconstruction and to investigate which factors may contribute to these rates. Method: Nine emergent explorations among 121 head and neck reconstruction with free flaps were reviewed to analyze detection of vascular crisis, the time interval from detection of circulatory crisis to exploration, operation procedures and results, and secondary reconstructions. Emergent exploration was done with our protocol. Result: Nine free flaps exhibited signs of vascular problems between 1 day and 6 days postoperatively. The emergent exploration rate of this series was 7.4% (9/121). The salvage rate was 55.6% (5/9), giving an overall flap viability of 96.7% (117/121). In our study, preoperative radiation therapy, positive smoking history, alcohol consumption history, combined disease such as diabetes mellitus and hypertension, recipient vessels and types of vascular anastomosis were not related to the causes of circulatory crisis. The mean time interval between the onset of clinical recognition of impaired flap perfusion and re-exploration of the salvaged 5 flaps was 3.2 hours, that of failed 4 flaps was 11.25 hours. Conclusion: Despite high overall success rate, relatively low salvage rate may be attributed to late detection of circulatory crisis and in long time interval between detection and exploration. We conclude that early detection of circulatory crisis and expeditious re-exploration are a matter of great importance for the success of salvage operation.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.138-147
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• 2020

Purpose: To evaluate the dosimetric variations in patients of head and neck cancer treated with definitive or adjuvant radiotherapy using optimized non-coplanar (ncVMAT) beams with coplanar (cVMAT) beams using volumetric arc therapy. Materials and Methods: Twenty-two patients of head and neck cancer that had received radiotherapy using VMAT in our department were retrospectively analyzed. Each of the patients was planned using coplanar and non-coplanar orientations using an optimized couch angle and fluences. We analyzed the Conformity Index (C_IRTOG), Dose Homogeneity Index (DHI), Heterogeneity Index (HI_RTOG), low dose volume, target and organs-at-risk coverage in both the plans without changing planning optimization parameters. Results: The prescription dose ranged from 60 Gy to 70 Gy. Using ncVMAT, C_IRTOG, DHI and HI_RTOG, and tumor coverage (ID_95%) had improved, low dose spillage volume in the body V_5Gy was increased and V_10Gy was reduced. Integral dose and intensity-modulated radiation therapy factor had increased in ncVMAT. In the case of non-coplanar beam arrangements, maximum dose (D_max) of right and left humeral head were reduced significantly whereas apex of the right and left lung mean dose were increased. Conclusion: The use of ncVMAT produced better target coverage and sparing of the shoulder and soft tissue of the neck as well as the critical organ compared with the cVMAT in patients of head and neck malignancy.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 2005

For the QA of IMRT treatment of head and neck cancer by using M3 (BrainLAB Inc. Germany), it is not easy to measure delivery dose exactly because the dose attenuation appears by the couch according to the position of table and gantry. In order to solve this problem, we fabricated head and neck phantom which would be implemented on the couch mount of Brain Lab Inc. We investigated dose attenuation by the couch and found the difference of dose distribution by the couch, in the applying this phantom to the clinic. After measurement, we found that point dose attenuation was 35% at maximum and dose difference was 5.4% for a point dose measurement of actual patient quality assurance plan.