Benign and Malignant Tumors of the Nasopharynx
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a distinct malignancy arising from the epithelial lining of the nasopharynx, with unique epidemiology, etiology (EBV association), and treatmen…
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Head & Neck Oncology
Board-review topics in Head & Neck Oncology.
51 topics
Benign Tumors of the Oral Cavity
Benign tumors of the oral cavity encompass a diverse group of neoplasms and reactive lesions arising from epithelial, mesenchymal, vascular, neural, and salivary tissue Squamous…
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Biology of Head and Neck Cancers
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a malignancy arising from the mucosal epithelium of the upper aerodigestive tract (oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, larynx,…
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Chemotherapy and Targeted Agents for HNC
Systemic therapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) encompasses cytotoxic chemotherapy, targeted molecular agents, and immunotherapy The MACH-NC meta-analysis (up…
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Complications of Neck Surgery
Complications of neck surgery encompass vascular, neural, lymphatic, wound, and systemic adverse events arising from cervical procedures including neck dissection, thyroidectomy…
Conservation Laryngeal Surgery
Conservation (partial) laryngeal surgery refers to open surgical procedures that remove laryngeal tumor while preserving at least one functional laryngeal unit (voice and/or swa…
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Cutaneous Head and Neck Melanoma
Cutaneous melanoma of the head and neck accounts for approximately 20-25% of all melanomas, despite the head and neck comprising only ~9% of body surface area — reflecting the r…
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Deep Neck Infection
Deep neck infection (DNI) is an infection involving the potential fascial spaces of the neck.
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Diagnosis and Management of Tracheal Neoplasms
Primary tracheal neoplasms are rare, representing <1% of all malignancies; often diagnosed late due to insidious onset and misdiagnosis as asthma or COPD Squamous cell carcinoma…
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Diagnostic Imaging of the Larynx
Laryngeal imaging is essential for staging laryngeal cancer, determining the extent of deep invasion not visible endoscopically, and guiding treatment decisions (RT vs.
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Diagnostic Imaging of the Pharynx and Esophagus
Diagnostic imaging of the pharynx and esophagus evaluates neoplastic, inflammatory, structural, and functional pathology from the nasopharynx to the gastroesophageal junction CT…
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Differential Diagnosis of Neck Masses
The differential diagnosis of neck masses is one of the most fundamental clinical problems in otolaryngology and follows an organized framework based on patient age, mass locati…
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Free Tissue Transfer
Free tissue transfer (free flap) involves harvesting a composite block of tissue with its vascular pedicle, completely detaching it from the donor site, and revascularizing it a…
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Fundamentals of Molecular Biology and Gene Therapy
Molecular biology of head and neck cancer encompasses the genetic and epigenetic alterations that drive tumorigenesis, progression, and treatment resistance in HNSCC HNSCC devel…
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HPV and Head and Neck Cancer
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted DNA virus etiologically responsible for a growing subset of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCC) HPV-positive OPSC…
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Laryngeal Carcinoma
Laryngeal carcinoma: malignant neoplasm arising from the mucosal epithelium of the larynx; >95% are squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) Third most common site for HNSCC after oral cav…
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Lemierre Syndrome
Lemierre syndrome (also called necrobacillosis or postanginal septicemia) is a rare but potentially fatal condition characterized by thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vei…
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Ludwig Angina
Ludwig angina is a rapidly progressive, bilateral gangrenous cellulitis involving all three primary mandibular spaces (submental, sublingual bilaterally, and submandibular bilat…
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Lymphomas Presenting in the Head and Neck
Lymphomas are malignant neoplasms of the lymphoid system; the head and neck is the second most common extranodal site after the gastrointestinal tract Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL)…
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Malignancies of the Paranasal Sinus
Paranasal sinus malignancies are rare, comprising <3% of all head and neck cancers and approximately 0.5% of all malignancies The maxillary sinus is the most commonly involved s…
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Malignant Neoplasms of the Oral Cavity
Oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) accounts for approximately 30% of all head and neck cancers and ~380,000 new cases globally per year Subsites: lips, oral tongue (ant…
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Malignant Neoplasms of the Oropharynx
Oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is the most rapidly increasing head and neck cancer in the Western world, driven by the HPV epidemic The oropharynx extends from th…
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Management of Early Glottic Cancer
Early glottic cancer refers to T1-T2 squamous cell carcinoma of the true vocal folds (glottis) with mobile vocal folds T1-T2 N0 glottic SCC has an excellent prognosis: 5-year lo…
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Neck Dissection
Neck dissection (cervical lymphadenectomy): systematic removal of lymph nodes and surrounding fibrofatty tissue from the cervical compartments to eradicate metastatic disease Th…
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Necrotizing Fasciitis of the Cervical Region
Cervical necrotizing fasciitis is a severe, rapidly progressive, life-threatening form of deep neck infection characterized by necrosis of the fascia and subcutaneous tissues of…
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Neoplasms of the Hypopharynx and Cervical Esophagus
Hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma accounts for approximately 3-5% of all head and neck cancers and carries the worst prognosis among pharyngeal subsites (5-year OS ~30-35%)…
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Neoplasms of the Neck
Neoplasms of the neck include primary tumors arising within cervical structures (nerves, vessels, connective tissue, lymphatic tissue) and metastatic disease from head and neck …
Odontogenic Cysts and Tumors
Odontogenic cysts and tumors arise from epithelial or ectomesenchymal remnants of the tooth-forming apparatus Odontogenic cysts are the most common cystic lesions of the jaws; r…
Oral Mucosal Lesions
Oral mucosal lesions encompass a broad spectrum of white, red, pigmented, vesiculobullous, and ulcerative conditions of the oral cavity lining Leukoplakia: a white patch or plaq…
Palliative Care in Otolaryngology
Palliative care is specialized medical care focused on providing relief from symptoms, pain, and stress of a serious illness regardless of diagnosis or stage Distinguished from …
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Paragangliomas of the Head and Neck
Paragangliomas (glomus tumors) are neuroendocrine neoplasms arising from paraganglia — clusters of neural crest–derived chief cells associated with the autonomic nervous system …
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Parapharyngeal Space Tumors
Parapharyngeal space (PPS) tumors account for approximately 0.5% of all head and neck neoplasms 80% of PPS tumors are benign; 20% are malignant Salivary gland tumors (predominan…
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Peritonsillar Abscess
Peritonsillar abscess (PTA), also known as quinsy, is the most common deep neck space infection and represents a collection of pus between the palatine tonsil capsule (medially)…
Physiology of the Oral Cavity
The oral cavity extends from the vermilion border of the lips anteriorly to the junction of the hard and soft palate superiorly and the circumvallate papillae inferiorly Divided…
Prosthetic Management of Head and Neck Defects
Maxillofacial prosthetics involves the use of artificial devices to replace missing structures of the face, jaws, and palate resulting from surgery, trauma, or congenital defect…
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Radiation Therapy for Cervical Lymph Nodes and Skull Base Tumors
Radiation therapy (RT) for cervical lymph nodes encompasses definitive, adjuvant, and palliative treatment of nodal metastases from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC)…
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Radiation Therapy for Larynx and Hypopharynx Cancer
Radiation therapy is a cornerstone of laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer management, used as definitive treatment (alone or with chemotherapy) or as adjuvant therapy after surg…
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Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy of Hypopharynx and Esophagus SCC
Organ preservation with chemoradiation is the standard-of-care paradigm for locally advanced hypopharyngeal SCC, aiming to preserve the laryngopharyngeal complex without comprom…
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Radiotherapy for Head and Neck Cancer
Radiation therapy (RT) is the use of ionizing radiation to achieve local-regional tumor control through DNA damage and clonogenic cell death Approximately 75% of head and neck c…
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Reconstruction of Hypopharynx and Esophagus
Hypopharyngeal and esophageal reconstruction restores the alimentary conduit after laryngopharyngectomy or pharyngoesophagectomy for advanced hypopharyngeal or cervical esophage…
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Reconstruction of the Mandible
Mandible reconstruction restores form, function, and aesthetics after segmental or marginal mandibulectomy for tumor, osteoradionecrosis, or trauma The free fibula flap is the g…
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Reconstruction of the Oropharynx
Oropharyngeal reconstruction restores form and function after ablative surgery for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC), which includes base of tongue, soft palate, ton…
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Skin Flap Physiology and Wound Healing
A flap is a unit of tissue that maintains its own blood supply (vascular pedicle) when transferred from a donor site to a recipient site; distinguished from a graft, which relie…
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Surgical Robotics in Otolaryngology
Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) is a minimally invasive surgical approach using a robotic platform (da Vinci Surgical System) to access oropharyngeal, supraglottic, and hypopha…
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Swallowing Function and HNC Implications
Dysphagia is the most functionally significant consequence of head and neck cancer (HNC) and its treatment, affecting 40-80% of patients during or after therapy Swallowing dysfu…
Temporomandibular Joint Disorders
Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) encompass a group of conditions affecting the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), masticatory muscles, and associated structures Prevalence: 5-12% o…
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Thyroid Neoplasms
Thyroid neoplasms encompass a spectrum from benign adenomas to well-differentiated carcinomas (papillary, follicular), medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), and undifferentiated an…
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Total Laryngectomy and Laryngopharyngectomy
Total laryngectomy (TL) is the complete surgical removal of the larynx from the hyoid bone superiorly to the trachea inferiorly, creating a permanent separation between the airw…
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Transoral Laser for Advanced Laryngeal Tumors
Transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) is a minimally invasive technique for resecting laryngeal carcinoma via the transoral route using a CO2 laser coupled to an operating microsco…
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Ultrasound Imaging of the Neck
Neck ultrasound (US) is the primary imaging modality for evaluating superficial neck structures including thyroid, salivary glands, lymph nodes, and soft tissue masses Advantage…
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Vocal and Speech Rehabilitation After Laryngectomy
Total laryngectomy (TL) permanently separates the airway from the alimentary tract; the trachea is brought out as a permanent stoma in the neck, and the patient loses their natu…