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Biomedical subjects

M C Weissler

Publications and source records attributed to M C Weissler.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Simultaneous chemoradiation in the treatment of advanced head and neck cancer.

Fifty-eight patients with either advanced or unresectable squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck were randomly selected to receive either twice daily radiation alone or twice daily radiation plus concomitant chemotherapy with cisplatin and fluorouracil (5-fluorouracil). There was no advantage in survival or time to progression with the addition of chemotherapy to twice daily radiation for patients with advanced resectable cancers. In the group of patients with unresectable cancers, however, there was a statistically significant advantage to the addition of chemotherapy, both in terms of disease-free survival and date to progression.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Immediate mandibular replacement using reconstruction plates.

Mandibular reconstruction at the time of tumor resection remains a surgical dilemma. Primary reconstruction allows for immediate reconstitution of mandibular form and function. Various methods have been attempted, but none enjoys uniform success. With advances in the field of microvascular surgery have come numerous options in replacing these defects. These procedures, however, require special surgical teams and are associated with an increase in operative time as well as morbidity at the donor site. An alternative method involves the use of mandibular reconstruction plates to bridge the defect between segments. This review focuses on 19 patients whose jaws were reconstructed in this fashion. Although not free of complications, mandibular plate reconstruction offers the advantages of (1) lack of donor site morbidity, (2) expediency, (3) excellent mandibular contour, and (4) the ability to reconstruct the condyle when necessary. The technique, results, and complications associated with this procedure are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

The prevention of postoperative stridor and laryngospasm with topical lidocaine.

Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy can predispose to stridor and laryngospasm in the immediate postextubation period. A prospectively randomized study of 133 patients undergoing tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy was undertaken to determine if the topical application of 4 mg/kg of 4% lidocaine at the time of intubation would decrease the incidence of postoperative stridor and laryngospasm. Taken together, eight (12%) of 67 control patients suffered stridor or laryngospasm vs two (3%) of 66 patients receiving lidocaine. It is concluded that lidocaine administered topically at the time of intubation for adenotonsillectomy helps prevent postoperative stridor and laryngospasm. Surgery of the upper aerodigestive tract often involves not only the technical aspects of the surgical procedure but also concomitant management of the airway. This can present a challenge to even the most adept otolaryngologist and anesthesiologist. Accidental extubation is always possible, and reintubation can be difficult in the presence of blood and saliva. The difficulty is often compounded with a patient who is not completely paralyzed.

Adenoidectomy↗
PubMed1990

Blood transfusion and other risk factors for recurrence of cancer of the head and neck.

To determine whether perioperative blood transfusion affected the recurrence rate of squamous cell cancer of the head and neck, we performed a retrospective study of all patients with stage III and IV disease treated surgically at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, between 1983 and 1986. Those who recurred were compared with those who did not in regard to 16 prognostic variables, including whether or not they had received a perioperative blood transfusion. Analyzing each variable separately, five were significantly related to recurrence. These were (1) surgical margin status, (2) stage, (3) presence of pathologically positive nodes, (4) blood transfusion status, and (5) type of treatment. However, because several of these variables were clearly interrelated, the same data were subjected to a multivariate regression analysis specifically designed to identify significant prognostic variables independent of their association with other variables. By this analysis, only margin status and the presence or absence of a blood transfusion were statistically significant predictors of recurrence.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗
PubMed1990

Oncogene amplification in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Cellular oncogenes appear to be involved in the control of normal cell growth and differentiation. The abnormal activation of these genes in naturally occurring and experimentally induced cancers may have an important role in the expression of the malignant phenotype in cancer cells. Mechanisms for the activation of these genes include chromosomal translocation, point mutation, and DNA amplification. The amplification of specific oncogenes correlates with clinical prognosis in several human malignancies, including breast cancer and neuroblastoma. We examined 21 fresh-frozen human squamous cell carcinomas of the aerodigestive tract for amplification of 10 known cellular oncogenes (c-myc, N-myc, L-myc, N-ras, H-ras, K-ras, erb-B, erb-B2, raf, and int-2), using Southern blotting techniques. Eleven of 21 tumors demonstrated a two-fold to 11-fold amplification of the int-2 oncogene, one member of a family of genes related to basic fibroblast growth factor. Amplification of c-myc, a gene that codes for a DNA-binding protein involved in the regulation of cell growth, was seen in two tumors. None of the other eight genes studied were amplified in any of the tumor specimens.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗
PubMed1989

Treatment of the clinically negative neck in advanced cancer of the head and neck.

The proper management of the clinically negative neck in primary squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck remains controversial. Although many clinicians believe that elective neck dissection or neck irradiation are equally effective for controlling subclinical disease, previous studies have not directly addressed this question. The charts of 195 patients with advanced primary squamous carcinoma, yet with clinically negative necks, were reviewed. There were no significant differences in the rates of neck cancer recurrence among the elective neck irradiation, dissection, and combined treatment groups. Elective neck irradiation and neck dissection in patients with clinically negative nodes seemed equivalent in their ability to control neck disease. The decision as to which form of therapy is preferable must therefore be based on other criteria.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗
PubMed1989

Sclerosing orbital pseudotumor: a unique clinicopathologic entity.

A case of orbital pseudotumor is presented that histologically showed dense fibrosis invading bone and adjacent sinuses, and failed to respond to either steroids or radiation therapy. "Orbital pseudotumor" remains a sobriquet for a variety of clinical and histopathologic entities including a monomorphous lymphocytic benign or malignant neoplasm; a polymorphous reactive inflammatory lesion; and a densely fibrosing sclerotic variant that appears to behave more aggressively, often locally invades adjacent structures, and may be related to a multifocal fibrosclerosis that also includes retroperitoneal fibrosis, Riedel's sclerosing thyroiditis, mediastinal fibrosis, and sclerosing cholangitis. This "sclerosing orbital pseudotumor" is felt to represent a unique clinicopathologic entity, and an approach to its treatment is described.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

A method of closure after resection of anterior floor of mouth cancers.

A variety of methods may be used to reconstruct head and neck defects after ablative surgery for cancer. Increasingly, choices of reconstructive techniques must be made on the basis of functional results attained. Described is a method of reconstruction for anterior floor of mouth defects with marginal mandibulectomy, which has yielded good functional results. All patients undergoing this form of reconstruction are on a soft oral diet, without drooling and with good speech intelligibility.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Partial vs total esophagectomy for advanced carcinoma of the hypopharynx.

Cancer of the hypopharynx is an aggressive disease with a poor prognosis irrespective of the therapeutic regimen instituted. Controversy centers around the extent of surgery required to adequately ablate the advanced cancers, particularly related to the role of esophagectomy. A literature review and analysis of 43 cases of advanced hypopharyngeal cancer treated with total laryngopharyngectomy and partial esophagectomy support the argument that in carefully selected situations, a partial esophagectomy is oncologically an adequate operation.

Aged↗
PubMed1987

Surgical salvage for stomal recurrence: a multi-institutional experience.

Recurrence of squamous cell cancer following total laryngectomy constitutes an extremely difficult therapeutic problem. Satisfactory management is elusive and frustrating to the head and neck oncologist. Various recommended therapeutic regimens include symptomatic treatment, palliation with chemotherapy and radiation, and aggressive surgical salvage. While surgery offers the only realistic chance at cure, this procedure is fraught with significant morbidity and a poor success rate. In an attempt to clarify the role of surgical salvage in these patients, experience with 57 patients with stomal recurrence presenting to three head and neck surgical groups will be presented. Forty-one of these patients subsequently underwent definitive surgery. The overall 2-year survival for operated patients was 16% with a 24% determinate survival. Further analysis revealed a 45% 5-year survival with type 1 and 2 lesions and 9% survival with types 3 and 4. Recommendations regarding indications for surgery are made based on this experience.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗
PubMed1985

Laryngopyocele as a cause of airway obstruction.

Symptomatic laryngoceles are unusual lesions. Laryngopyoceles are even more unusual, with a total of 32 cases reported in the world literature. Two cases of laryngopyocele presenting as airway obstruction are described along with a review of the anatomy, etiology, clinical course, and management of this lesion. An argument is made supporting the resection of the symptomatic laryngocele to prevent the rapid respiratory obstruction that may occur in the presence of a laryngopyocele.

Cysts↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Thyroid-stimulating hormone levels after radiotherapy and combined therapy for head and neck cancer.

Sixty-eight patients were studied prospectively with serial thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels after radiotherapy for head and neck neoplasms. Overall, 57% of the patients developed elevated TSH levels. Excluding patients with less than 2 years follow-up, 85% developed an elevated TSH. Ninety-two percent of patients treated with partial thyroidectomy and radiotherapy developed an elevated TSH. Most TSH elevations occurred within 1 year of treatment. The dose of radiotherapy used and the performance of hemithyroidectomy were related to the development of elevated TSH levels (p less than 0.05). The performance of radical neck dissection, gender, hyperfractionated radiotherapy and the use of chemotherapy were not related to the development of an elevated TSH (p greater than 0.05).

Combined Modality Therapy↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Esthesioneuroblastoma and neck metastasis.

Esthesioneuroblastoma (ENB) is a rare malignant neoplasm arising from the cribriform olfactory epithelium. Its aggressive biologic behavior is characterized by inapparent submucosal spread, local recurrence, atypical distant metastases, and poor long-term prognosis. Historically, the suspicion of neck metastasis has not been associated with ENB. A retrospective review of all ENB patients treated at the University of North Carolina Hospitals since 1972 has revealed an unusually high incidence of cervical metastases (four of four patients). This prompted a review of the ENB surgical literature. All English-literature series published since the widespread use of craniofacial surgery with accruals of eight or more patients were examined for reports of neck metastasis. Although the cumulative cervical metastatic rate reached 27% (55 of 207 patients), most authors failed to recognize the potential risk of cervical metastasis in ENB. Furthermore, in patients suffering from Kadish stage C disease, the cervical metastatic rate climbed to 44% (25 of 57 Kadish stage C patients). This further emphasizes the importance of the neck as a high-risk metastatic site. These findings suggest that cervical metastases may be an important consideration in the evaluation and treatment of patients suffering from ENB. Strategies for evaluation and management of the neck are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Inverted papilloma.

Two hundred twenty-three cases of inverted papilloma seen at this institution over a 35-year period were reviewed. The number of cases steadily increased over each 5-year period. Common presenting signs and symptoms, association with carcinoma, and results of surgical and radiographic treatment are presented. The pathologic controversy surrounding this disease is discussed, and an argument is made for including all pathologic subtypes and septal, lateral wall, or sinus cases in a common clinical grouping of inverted papilloma. Lateral rhinotomy was found to be associated with fewer recurrences and a better probability of cure than lesser procedures and is recommended as the standard surgical therapy. Radiotherapy was found to be a useful and effective adjunct in cases associated with malignancy or for multiply recurrent and inoperable benign inverted papillomas. Lifelong follow-up is urged.

Adolescent↗