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Sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma – slowly getting there

The rarest of the rare, sinonasal tumours form only a small part of the total number of head and neck tumours and undifferentiated carcinoma (SNUC) is one of the rarest of this group. There is some data (and some expert...

Red flag head and neck cancer symptoms

This was a prospective study of 1589 patients that were enrolled in the Scottish Audit of Head and Neck Cancer between 1999 and 2001. It recorded their presenting symptoms and assessed their long-term survival with respect to symptoms and subsites...

What should be considered a ‘close’ margin in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma?

Achieving clear margins during surgical resection in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) is thought to reduce local recurrence (LR) and improve prognosis; however, what constitutes a clear, close, or involved margin is inconsistent in the literature and in practice....

An algorithm to distinguish between distant metastases and metachronous lung primary in patients with HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer

Distinguishing between distant metastases of HPV-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) and metachronous primary lung squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is important as it has implications for treatment, prognosis counselling, and registry data. Although p16 immunohistochemistry (p16 IHC) is widely accepted...

EMG and unilateral vocal fold palsy

The authors studied the diagnostic and prognostic value of laryngeal electromyography (LEMG) in adults with unilateral vocal fold palsy. The study included 61 patients who were tested on average seven months after their palsy (4-11 months). In most cases the...

Indication and timing of electrodiagnostic tests in facial palsy

This excellent review describes the benefits and limitations of electrodiagnostic testing for patients with facial paralysis. Tests such as Schirmer, stapedial reflex and electrogustometry have been largely replaced by neurophysiologic tests like nerve excitability test (NET), electroneuronography (ENoG), surface electromyography...

Adjuvant intratympanic steroid therapy in sudden sensorineural hearing loss

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) means abrupt hearing loss by 30dB affecting three consecutive frequencies within 72 hours. This is treated by high tapering doses of systemic steroids, the role of which is controversial and fraught with possible complications in...

Endoscopic findings and prediction of outcome in unilateral vocal cord paralysis

Unilateral vocal cord paralysis which is not due to irreversible causes such as malignancy, systemic disease or trauma varies considerably in terms of full recovery and restoration of voice. Usually electromyography is used to make possible predictions, but this facility...

Rare, aggressive pituitary adenomas

This is a review article on published cases of the rare Crooke’s pituitary adenoma. These tumors are usually invasive and may be clinically aggressive; they may be endocrinologically silent or may produce adrenocorticotropic hormone causing Cushing’s disease. They often recur...

Ultrasound assessment of metastatic disease

This Japanese study of 10 patients over 15 years, assesses the role of ultrasonography in assessing metastatic disease to the thyroid gland, specifically renal clear cell carcinoma (RCCC). Whilst uncommon, the authors state that there is a favourable prognosis when...

The stigma of HPV in oral cancer

The increase of oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC) in the developed world seems to be largely caused by infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a group of 150 DNA viruses that are common and most people will be infected at...