• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.40-44
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• 1991

Cystic metastasis in the neck from pharyngeal cancer has often been mistaken for either primary squamous cell carcinoma of branchiogenic origin or branchial cleft cyst. The distinctive histological and clinical features of cystic metastasis reviewed after its correct indentification can lead to the discovery of an unsuspected primary lesion and result in specific treatment options. Recendy, the authors experienced three cases of cystic metastasis in the neck from pharyngeal cancer ; one was from nasopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma and the other two were from tonsillar squamous cell carcinomas. This report summarizes our experiences and review of the literatures.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.54-58
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• 2008

Bronchogenic cysts are rare congenital anomalies of the tracheobronchial tree. Most cases present within the mediastinum or pulmonary parenchyma without a patent connection to the tracheobronchial tree or digestive tract in the pediatric age group. Cervical bronchogenic cysts in adults are rare. In this report, we describe two cases of incidentally found paratracheal bronchogenic cysts that presented as asymptomatic neck masses in a 66-year-old female with papillary thyroid carcinoma and in a 59-year-old male of Catleman's disease.

• 대한두경부종양학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1990.11a
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• pp.20.2-22
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• 1990

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.2433-2437
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• 2013

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent regulator of angiogenesis and thereby involved in the development and progression of solid tumours. Associations between three VEGF gene polymorphisms (-634 G/C, +936 C/T, and +1612 G/A) and breast cancer risk have been extensively studied, but the currently available results are inconclusive. Our aim was to investigate associations between three VEGF gene polymorphisms and breast cancer risk in Chinese Han patients. We performed a hospital-based case-control study including 680 female incident breast cancer patients and 680 female age-matched healthy control subjects. Polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis was performed to detect the three VEGF gene polymorphisms. We observed that women carriers of +936 TT genotypes [odds ratio (OR) =0.46, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.28, 0.76; P=0.002] or 936 T-allele (OR=0.81, 95% CI= 0.68, 0.98; P=0.03) had a protective effect concerning the disease. Our study suggested that the +1612G/A polymorphism was unlikely to be associated with breast cancer risk. The -634CC genotype was significantly associated with high tumor aggressiveness [large tumor size (OR=2.63, 95% CI=1.15, 6.02; P=0.02) and high histologic grade (OR=1.47, 95% CI= 1.06, 2.03; P=0.02)]. The genotypes were not related with other tumor characteristics such as regional or distant metastasis, stage at diagnosis, or estrogen or progesterone receptor status. Our study revealed that the VEGF -634 G/C and +936 C/T gene polymorphisms may be associated with breast cancer in Chinese Han patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.24
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• pp.10867-10869
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• 2015

Background: There are various patient and professional factors responsible for the delay in start of treatment (SOT) for head and neck cancers (HNC). Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted on data for HNC patients registered at the hospital cancer registry in North-East India. All cases diagnosed during the period of January 2010 to December 2012 were considered for the present analysis. Educational levels of all patients were clustered into 3 groups; illiterates (unable to read or write), qualified (school or high school level education), and highly qualified (college and above). Results: In the present analysis 1066 (34.6%) patients were illiterates, 1,869 (60.6%) patients were literates and 145 (4.7%) of all patients with HNC were highly qualified. The stage at diagnosis were stage I, seen in 62 (34.6%), stage II in 393 (12.8%), stage III in 1,371 (44.5%) and stage IV in 1,254 (40.7%). The median time (MT) to the SOT from date of attending cancer hospital (DOACH) was, in illiterate group MT was 18 days, whereas in the qualified group of patients it was 15 days and in the highly qualified group was 10 days. Analysis of variance showed there was a significant difference on the mean time for the delay in SOT from DOACH for different educational levels (F=9.923, p=0.000). Conclusions: Educational level is a patient related factor in the delays for the SOT in HNCs in our population.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.9-15
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• 2017

The recently released the $8^{th}$ edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Staging Manual introduces significant modifications from the prior $7^{th}$ edition. In this paper, the contents of the new changes in the decision of cancer of the head and neck is summarized except changes in staging of skin and thyroid cancer. In addition to the 8th edition, 1) Addition of extracapsular involvement in metastatic lymph nodes (N category) 2) Oral cancer T classification change, 3) Staging of the pharyngeal cancer was divided into 3 chapters: high-risk human papilloma virus (HR-HPV) associated oropharyngeal cancer (OPC), non HR-HPV associated OPC and hypopharynx cancer (HPC), and nasopharynx cancer (NPC) 4) Changes in T and N classification in NPC, 5) In the case of cancer of unknown primary, P16-positive case is defined as HR-HPV related OPC, and EBV-positive case is defined as NPC. The process that led to these changes highlights the need to collect high-fidelity cancer registry-level data that can be used to confirm prognostic observations identified in institutional data sets. Clinicians will continue to use the latest information for patient care, including scientific content of the 8th Edition Manual. All newly diagnosed cases through December $31^{st}$ 2017 should be staged with the 7th edition. The time extension will allow all partners to develop and update protocols and guidelines and for software vendors to develop, test, and deploy their products in time for the data collection and implementation of the 8th edition in 2018. The 8th edition strikes a balance between a personalized, complex system and a more general, simpler one that maintains the user-friendliness and worldwide acceptability of the traditional TNM staging paradigm.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.1-5
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• 2022

Due to the low incidence and histologic diversity of salivary gland cancer, analyzing the incidence of salivary gland cancer is necessary to understand the macroscopic aspects. We intend to investigate the international trend of the reported incidence rate of salivary gland cancer. Using the Korea Central Cancer Registry data, the domestic change in the incidence rate was examined. As a result, a significant increasing trend was confirmed, consistent with the United States and Japan trends. The etiology of the change is unclear, and various factors that may influence the direction are reported. Additional research is needed to understand the pathophysiology of salivary gland cancer, and further efforts are required to understand salivary gland cancer.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.1-6
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• 2023

The aging population, particularly those aged 65 and above, is on the rise, with projections indicating a substantial increase in the elderly demographic. This demographic shift brings challenges in managing age-related diseases, including head and neck cancers (HNCs). Frailty, often characterized by physiological decline and vulnerability to stressors, is a crucial factor affecting treatment outcomes of elderly cancer patients. Accordingly, the significance of assessing frailty in elderly HNC patients before their treatment should be emphasized, but current frailty assessment tools may not fully capture the unique challenges faced by HNC patients. Specific indicators, including respiratory and swallowing functions, are proposed for a more tailored assessment. This comprehensive review explores the impact of frailty on various treatment modalities, including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, highlighting the need for personalized interventions. Furthermore, it suggests avenues for future research to enhance frailty assessment tools and investigate interventions aimed at improving treatment outcomes in elderly HNC patients.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.89-93
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• 2017

Background. Ever since the first report of deltopectoral flap in pharyngo-esophageal reconstruction in 1965, various methods of flap reconstruction have been introduced, allowing surgical eradication of tumors that were once thought to be inoperable. Despite these advancement, many literatures emphasize distant metastasis and second primary malignancies as the most important factors that contribute to the low 5-year survival rate of the patients. Specific consensus about defining second primary cancer is still debatable, due to small number of reports regarding second primary tumors arising in flaps used for reconstruction of defects in the head and neck region. Case. We report a case of a 72-year-old male patient who, under the diagnosis of hypopharyngeal cancer, underwent total laryngectomy with partial pharyngectomy, extended right radical neck dissection with extended left lateral neck dissection, right hemithyroidectomy and radial forearm free flap reconstruction on June 16, 2003. After 37 cycles of radiation therapy, the patient exhibited no sign of recurrence. The patient revisited our department on June 14, 2016 with chief complaint of dysphagia that started two months before the visit. Radiologic studies and histology revealed squamous cell carcinoma in neopharynx, one that had been reconstructed with forearm free flap. Conclusion. Until now, only a handful of reports regarding patients with second primary cancer in reconstructed flaps have been described. Despite its rarity, diagnostic criteria for second primary cancer should always kept in consideration for patients with recurred tumor.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.131-138
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• 2001

Objectives: Alcohol intake has been reported to be a risk factor of laryngeal cancer. Since the aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) genotype is a major determinant of personal alcohol drinking habit, there is a possibility that ALDH2 genotype would be a risk factor for laryngeal cancer. N-Acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) is a detoxifying enzyme and its polymorphism has been reported to be related to the risk of many environmental cancers. However, studies on the associations between these two genotypes and laryngeal cancer risk are scarce. We have assessed the effects of alcohol intake and the genotype of ALDH2 and NAT2 on the risk of laryngeal cancer in Koreans. Materials and Methods: Eighty-four pathologically proven laryngeal cancer patients and 168 age matched controls were included as the study subjects. Information about alcohol intake and smoking habit was collected using a self administered questionnaire. ALDH2 and NAT2 genotypes were analyzed using PCR-RFLP methods. Results: Alcohol intake was significant as a risk factor for laryngeal cancer (OR : 2.58, 95% CI : 1.24, 5.36), especially for supraglottic laryngeal cancer (OR : 3.24, 95% CI : 1.02, 10.31). Personal drinking habit was closely related with personal smoking habit, which was a potent risk factor of laryngeal cancer. In a stratified analysis according to the level of cumulative smoking amount, drinking was significant neither in light smokers (equal or less than 30 pack-years) nor in heavy smoker (over 30 pack-years). The ALDH2 genotype was significantly associated with the risk of laryngeal cancer in a univariate analysis. The statistical significance, however, disappeared after adjusting alcohol intake using a multiple conditional logistic model. The NAT2 genotype was not significant as a risk factor for laryngeal cancer. Conclusion: Alcohol drinking and ALDH2 genotype would have indirect effects on laryngeal cancer by their correlations with cigarette smoking or with alcohol drinking. It is less likely that the NAT2 genotype would be a potent risk factor of laryngeal cancer.