Treatment of patients with spinal metastases from head and neck neoplasms

BACKGROUND: Spinal metastases are uncommon in patients with advanced head and neck cancer. Treatment strategies in this patient group have not been defined. Although it has been established that neurologic dysfunction in patients with spinal metastases and cord compression constitutes an oncologic emergency, the role of surgical treatment remains controversial. OBJECTIVE: To clarify the treatment options in patients with head and neck cancer who develop spinal metastases. METHODS: The clinical course of patients seen at our institution with head and neck neoplasms and spinal metastases from January 1992 to January 2000 was reviewed. RESULTS: Eleven patients were identified. Nine developed spinal metastases more than 3 months after the diagnosis of advanced head and neck cancer. The other 2 presented with synchronous spinal involvement and skull base neoplasms. Patients without neurologic symptoms were offered intravenous steroids and palliative radiation. Patients with neurologic symptoms were treated with either intravenous steroids and radiation or surgical decompression and spinal fusion. In 1 patient, no improvement occurred within the first 2 days of radiotherapy, and the patient underwent surgical decompression. Patients with an unstable spine underwent surgical decompression and spinal fusion. Patients with a life expectancy of more than 6 months and neurologic symptoms were offered surgical therapy. In the 9 patients with advanced cancer, the average survival time was 3 months. Two of these patients have survived longer than 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: We propose that surgical decompression is a viable, justifiable option for selected patients with advanced head and neck cancer and spinal cord compression. Furthermore, we recommend surgical decompression as a first option in patients with an unstable bony spine and/or in whom survival is expected to be longer than 6 months. Finally, we propose a patient management algorithm in these cases.     

Scintigraphic search for metastases in patients with neoplasms of the head and neck

Pretherapeutic staging is essential for the management of head and neck cancer. The diagnostic value of liver, brain and bone scanning was estimated by a retrospective study of 281 patients. Bone and liver scans are useful for detecting distant metastases from head and neck cancer. Brain scanning should be replaced by computed tomography, if there is clinical suspicion of intracerebral metastases. Nowadays ultrasound examination of the liver is more useful than liver scans. Thus, bone scanning remains the only radioisotope method used in the routine pretherapeutic staging of head and neck cancer. Chest X-ray, abdominal ultrasound examination and bone scans are adequate methods for the detection of metastases. The management of malignant lymphoma needs a special and more detailed diagnostic approach.     

General considerations on distant metastases from head and neck cancer.

Mortality in head and neck cancer is due to locoregional disease, distant metastases or intercurrent disease. As treatment of the primary tumor and cervical metastases has improved, the proportion of deaths from co-morbidity and from distant metastases has increased. Distant metastases almost invariably herald a poor prognosis in head and neck cancer with an average survival of 4.3-7.3 months and treatment is usually palliative. Reliable detection is important to prevent inappropriate treatment. The risk is related to the site, stage and histology of the primary tumor and the presence of cervical metastases. Early detection and treatment of cervical metastases may prevent distant metastases. Accurate staging of tumors helps to identify high-risk tumors that should be specifically investigated for distant metastases.     

Positron emission tomography using [<Superscript>18</Superscript>F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG-PET) in the clinically negative neck: is it likely to be superior?

The capability of modern imaging techniques such as CT, MRI, US and US-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology (USgFNAC) to detect small tumour deposits is limited. Therefore, the detection of occult metastases in the clinically negative neck remains a diagnostic problem. One of the novel options to refine staging of head and neck cancer is [¹⁸F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET). To evaluate the diagnostic value of FDG-PET in the detection of occult malignant lymph nodes, we compared the results of FDG-PET with other diagnostic techniques and the histopathological outcome of 15 neck dissection specimens from 15 head and neck cancer patients with a clinically negative neck. Three sides contained metastases of squamous cell carcinoma. FDG-PET enabled detection of metastases in two sides, which were also detected by MRI or USgFNAC. FDG-PET and CT missed metastases in one patient, which were detected by both MRI and USgFNAC. In studies with a detailed examination of lymph nodes of a neck dissection, a low sensitivity of FDG-PET for the detection of occult lymph node metastases is found. It is unlikely that FDG-PET is superior in the detection of occult lymph node metastases in head and neck cancer patients with a palpably negative neck. The histopathological method used seems to be the most important factor for the differences in sensitivity in reported FDG-PET studies. New approaches such as the use of monoclonal antibodies labelled with a positron emitter may improve the results of PET in these patients.     

Screening for distant metastases in patients with head and neck cancer: what is the current clinical practice?

Objectives: The detection of distant metastases during screening influences the choice of treatment in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). There is no consensus on the diagnostic technique that has to be used nor on the subgroup of HNSCC patients that may benefit from screening. Design: Questionnaire on current practice concerning the diagnostic work‐up in HNSCC patients for screening for distant metastases. Participants: Investigators in the 12 otolaryngology / head and neck and seven oromaxillofacial departments treating head and neck cancer in the Netherlands. Results: The response rate was 100%. Indications for screening were cervical lymph node metastases (63%), mutilating surgery (58%), locoregional recurrence (47%), advanced T‐stage (32%), second primary tumour (21%). Diagnostic techniques routinely used for screening besides chest X‐ray were chest CT (84%), liver ultrasound (53%), liver CT (16%) and bone scintigraphy (42%). Forty‐two per cent of the clinicians were not satisfied with the current methods of screening. Conclusion: This survey shows a substantial variation in indications and diagnostic techniques used for screening for distant metastases between the major institutions treating head and neck cancer in the Netherlands. There is a need for guidelines for screening for distant metastases in patients with head and neck cancer.     

Chirurgische Therapie pulmonaler Metastasen von Kopf-Hals-Tumoren

Pulmonary metastasectomy is an established procedure in oncological therapeutic concepts. A systematic literature search and an analysis of all studies published since 01.01.2000 should evaluate the advantage of pulmonary metastasectomy for patients with primary head and neck cancer. Lung metastases develop in 1.9–13?% of head and neck cancer patients. Following metastasectomy, patients reach a median survival of 9.5–78 months and 5-year survival rates of up to 58?% are achieved. Intrathoracic recurrence occurs in 18.4–81.8?% of patients, selected instances of which can be successfully treated by remetastasectomy. Patients with squamous cell carcinoma have the worst prognosis, but could also become long-term survivors (≥?60 months). Pulmonary metastasectomy is frequently the only potentially curative therapeutic approach and offers a better long-term survival than nonsurgical therapies. Lung metastasectomy is thus the treatment of choice in selected patients with pulmonary metastases from primary head and neck cancer.     

Improving diagnostic accuracy of cervical metastases with computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging

Elective neck dissection in patients with head and neck cancer continues to be controversial. The management of these patients would be greatly facilitated by improvements in predicting cervical metastases. Recent investigations have suggested that computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are more sensitive in detecting cervical metastases than physical examination. The Department of Otolaryngology at the Ohio State University Hospitals, Columbus, undertook a prospective study to compare the preoperative sensitivities of physical examination, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging with pathologic findings in 27 patients undergoing neck dissections for head and neck cancer. The results indicate that computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging were more sensitive (84% and 92%, respectively) than physical examination (75%), although the results did not achieve statistical significance. The sensitivity of combined computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging was 90%.     

NED survival in head and neck cancer (post-mortem correlations)

A common feature of reporting head and neck squamous cancer statistics in recent years has been to consider patients dying with no evident disease (NED) as successfully treated. We present two patients who died with no clinically evident squamous cancer and who could therefore have been reported as cured but for autopsy findings which showed significant distant spread. These findings are supported by several reports of distant metastases in squamous head and neck cancer and it is suggested that rates of post-mortem examinations be included in survival figures in the future.     

Biologic markers,cellular differentiation,and metastatic head and neck cancer

Summary The plateau in survival rates from head and neck cancer as well as the increasing incidence of disease among various populations demands the need for new perspectives in head and neck oncology. In pursuit of that goal, investigators have been developing improved biologic markers for metastatic risk of head and neck cancer. Such markers can be placed into categorical groupings, of which markers for cellular differentiation may be the most relevant. Among the growth factors relevant to head and neck cancer, epidermal growth factor and its receptor have received the most attention. Those tumors with unregulated growth factor control tend towards a more dedifferentiated state. Additionally, the degree of cellular differentiation and resulting risk of metastases may be predetermined in an individual through constitutively expressed susceptibility genes. Polymorphisms of the L-myc oncogene identified within peripheral blood lymphocytes may represent such a marker. Certain polymorphisms of this gene will identify individuals likely to express dedifferentiated head and neck cancer. Finally, the expression of cell-surface differentiation antigens may govern the capacity of cell-mediated host immune systems to control metastatic growth.Based on a presentation at the International Symposium on the N0 neck: Göttingen, September 1992     

The treatment of distant metastases in head and neck cancer--present and future.

At the present time the occurrence of distant metastases in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma means that lifespan is measured in months. In most instances treatment is purely palliative. Isolated lung metastasis can be successfully removed with long-term disease control in selected patients. Radiotherapy can be useful for palliation of bone metastases and occasionally lung or brain metastases. Chemotherapy does not have a major impact at the present time except for the treatment of metastases from nasopharyngeal cancer. Palliative symptomatic care, along with appropriate pain control, is essential since pain management is very important in these patients. A significant change in the survival of patients with head and neck cancer is only likely to occur by the development of new approaches to treatment. Blocking tumor angiogenesis and treatment based on genetic abnormalities or cell surface receptors offer the two strategies that are most likely to be successful.     

颈清扫术治疗晚期颈转移癌的远期效果及复发相关因素分析

目的 探讨颈清扫术治疗晚期颈转移癌的远期效果及术后颈部复发的相关影响因素。方法 对112例接受全颈清扫手术的头颈部鳞状细胞癌N2、N3患者，利用手术标本病理检查及随访资料进行回顾性分析。结果 晚期颈转移癌全颈清扫术后5年颈部复发率为27．7％(31／112)，其中N2、N3患者的术后5年颈部复发率分别为16．5％(13／79)、54．5％(18／33)。31例全颈清扫术颈部复发患者，Kaplan-Meier法统计术后3年生存率、5年生存率分别为16．1％(5／31)、9．7％(3／31)。单因素χ^2分析显示，临床N分期、病理颈淋巴结大小、转移淋巴结包膜外扩散、颈部非淋巴组织结构受侵情况与术后颈部复发有关。多因素Logistic回归分析结果表明，仅病理检查颈淋巴结大小与术后颈部复发明显相关。结论 颈部复发是晚期颈转移癌患者最常见的术后肿瘤复发原因。转移颈淋巴结大小是全颈清扫术后颈部复发根本和决定性影响因素。而临床N分期、转移淋巴结包膜外扩散、颈部非淋巴组织结构受侵情况对全颈清扫术后颈部复发具有重要影响。     

Mammakarzinommetastasen im Kopf-Hals-Bereich

Breast cancer metastases to the head and neck region are very rare and therefore represent a challenge for the clinician in terms of diagnosis and therapy. Recent advances in breast cancer treatment have achieved longer median survival times in affected patients. However, at the same time, the risk of a clinical manifestation of metastasis increases. Here we present the cases of two breast cancer patients who developed filiae into the petrous portion of the temporal bone and one very rare case of metastasis to the larynx. Diagnosis, therapy and distinctive features of metastasis to the head and neck region are discussed. Secondary to long-term endocrine hormone therapy, a reduction in estrogen receptor expression occurred in all three cases. We believe that the loss of steroid receptor expression contributed to tumor resistance to endocrine therapy. Moreover, this receptor loss hindered the pathologist from confirming the diagnosis of metastases at very unusual sites.     

正电子发射型计算机断层仪、前哨淋巴结技术及放射免疫治疗头颈肿瘤的新进展

由于早期诊断肿瘤手段的局限性,限制了临床对某些头颈鳞状细胞癌病人行正确的选择性颈部治疗。肿瘤伴有淋巴结转移则是最不利的预后因素。伴有颈部淋巴结转移的病人,5年存活率降低50%。因为肿瘤浸润的范围和(或)肿瘤的大小不能作为判断是否有颈淋巴结转移的指标,故有时侯即使很小的原发肿瘤也常常伴有颈部转移。本文就正电子发射型计算机断层仪、前哨淋巴结技术以及以辅助治疗为目的的放射免疫治疗的发展现状及前景进行论述。     

Bauchdeckenmetastasen als Komplikation der PEG-Anlage bei Karzinomen des oberen Aerodigestivtraktes

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) has become an important adjunct in the care of head and neck cancer patients. In the literature of the last 10 years, 16 cases of abdominal wall metastasis after PEG implantation were reported. We performed 387 PEG procedures in patients with head and neck cancers. In this paper, we describe two patients with advanced head and neck cancers who underwent PEG prior to cancer therapy and developed metastatic cancer at the PEG site 3 or 4 months later. Although the mechanism of spread cannot be confirmed, direct seeding from passage through the cancer seems likely. Methods of establishing enteral access which avoid tumor-contaminated fields, such as the use of an overtube during conventional PEG or PEG procedure after tumor resection, may be appropriate in head and neck cancer patients. Another possibility of origin is the hematogenous spread of cancer cells from metastases on the abdominal wall.     

Ultrasound of the abdomen and total bone scintigraphy in patients with cancer of the head and neck

In this prospective study, the patients with head and neck cancer admitted to the Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Haukeland University Hospital, underwent examination with ultrasound of the abdomen (112 patients) and total bone scintigraphy (118 patients) in the primary staging of the disease and before the start of treatment. In only one patient did we find metastases of head and neck cancer in the liver by these additional investigations, and one patient was found to have bone metastases. No second primary cancers were found by these extra examinations. One patient was found to have an asymptomatic aorta aneurysm and was in need of urgent surgical treatment. Based on these findings, we nowadays only use ultrasound of the abdomen and total bone scintigraphy as part of the general examination of new head and neck patients in selected cases.     

Skin and Eye: Uncommon Sites of Distant Metastasis from Tongue Base Squamous Cell Carcinoma

The frequency of non-lymphatic distant metastases from primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) appears to be higher than previously presumed. The general conditions of the affected patients, who usually also present with locoregional recurrences, are so impaired as to limit the use of available methods for diagnosing the distant spread of head and neck SCC. The incidence reported in autopsy studies is approximately three to four times higher than that in clinical studies. Lung metastases from head and neck SCC are most common, followed by metastases to bone and liver. Metastases to the skin are unusual. Secondary ocular localizations of head and neck SCC are exceedingly rare. We report the first case of synchronous intraocular (involving the choroid and vitreous body) and cutaneous metastases from a recurrent tongue base SCC in a 64-year-old woman who had undergone radiotherapy, bilateral neck dissection and chemotherapy. Cytological evaluation of vitreous aspirate and histological diagnosis of the skin lesion were performed < 1 month before the patient's death. Skin metastases occur in 1–4% of patients with diagnosed head and neck SCC and are usually associated with advanced or recurrent disease. To the best of our knowledge, fewer than 10 cases of ocular metastases from head and neck SCC have been reported. The average survival time after diagnosis of ocular or skin metastases from head and neck SCC is ≈ 7 months. Treatment for eye and skin metastases is palliative and rarely alters patient outcome.     

Skin and eye: uncommon sites of distant metastasis from tongue base squamous cell carcinoma

The frequency of non-lymphatic distant metastases from primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) appears to be higher than previously presumed. The general conditions of the affected patients, who usually also present with locoregional recurrences, are so impaired as to limit the use of available methods for diagnosing the distant spread of head and neck SCC. The incidence reported in autopsy studies is approximately three to four times higher than that in clinical studies. Lung metastases from head and neck SCC are most common, followed by metastases to bone and liver. Metastases to the skin are unusual. Secondary ocular localizations of head and neck SCC are exceedingly rare. We report the first case of synchronous intraocular (involving the choroid and vitreous body) and cutaneous metastases from a recurrent tongue base SCC in a 64-year-old woman who had undergone radiotherapy, bilateral neck dissection and chemotherapy. Cytological evaluation of vitreous aspirate and histological diagnosis of the skin lesion were performed < 1 month before the patient's death. Skin metastases occur in 1-4% of patients with diagnosed head and neck SCC and are usually associated with advanced or recurrent disease. To the best of our knowledge, fewer than 10 cases of ocular metastases from head and neck SCC have been reported. The average survival time after diagnosis of ocular or skin metastases from head and neck SCC is 7 months. Treatment for eye and skin metastases is palliative and rarely alters patient outcome.     

Impact of metastases on nodal immunoreactivity in head and neck cancer

It has been previously demonstrated by the authors that lymph nodes from patients with head and neck cancer are capable of regional immunoreactivity and that this immunoreactivity could be enhanced with certain nonspecific immunostimulants. However, it is unknown how metastases to the neck nodes would affect this immunoreactivity. The purpose of this study is to compare the immunoreactivity of matched node pairs (metastatic versus nonmetastatic) from head and neck cancer patients. The soft agar assay system was the methodology employed. The effect of nodal lymphocytes on tumor growth in soft agar was studied with and without nonspecific immunostimulation in both normal and metastatic nodes from the same location in the neck in 16 patients. The results demonstrate that lymph nodes from head and neck cancer patients are capable of an immune reaction to cancer, and that this immunoreactivity appears to be significantly increased in metastatic lymph nodes with and without the use of specific immunostimulants.     

Implantation metastasis of head and neck cancer after fine needle aspiration biopsy

One possible complication of the aspiration biopsy of malignant tumors is dissemination of tumor cells along the needle track. However, a search of the literature revealed few definite reports of implantation metastases of head and neck tumors after fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). Here we report two cases of skin metastasis of head and neck cancer after FNAB, including a patient with papillary adenocarcinoma of the thyroid and one with adenoid cystic carcinoma of the submandibular gland. Surgical treatment prevented the spread of the tumor in both cases and there have been no evidence of recurrence to date. This report should alert head and neck surgeons to the possibility of implantation metastasis after FNAB.     

The history of radical dissection of cervical lymph nodes--in centenary of George Crile publication

The history of surgical management of cervical lymph nodes metastases evolved from the XIX century period, when the lymph nodes metastases in head and neck cancer had been recognized as a stage of disease above the limits of rational surgical treatment. Among the Pioneers of surgery of that time was Franciszek Jawdyński. The second period dated from 1906 publication of George Crile, who postulated the necessity of surgical resection of primary tumor as well as regional head and neck lymph nodes and defined a procedure of radical block dissection of cervical lymph nodes ended, when Hughes Martin and his contemporaries established a comprehensive radical neck dissection as a universal standard procedure of head and neck surgery. At present, not forgetting the value of radical neck dissection in treatment of cervical lymph nodes metastases, we return back to less mutilating surgical procedures, with preservation of non lymphatic structures and selective resections of regional group of nodes, due to the progress in non surgical treatment modalities (radiotherapy and chemotherapy) and new techniques of imaging and pathology.