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Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of a novel modular polymer platform in the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC)., Design: In vivo study., Setting: Academic research laboratory. Subjects and, Methods: C3H/HeJ mice and SCID/beige mice were randomized to receive implantation of no polymer, plain polymer, plain polymer with local cisplatin injection, or cisplatin polymer. The 2 groups of mice implanted with cisplatin polymer or no polymer were further randomized to receive 4 Gy of external beam radiation for 4 days or no radiation. Tumor size was measured until the mice were humanely killed. At necropsy, the tumors were excised and weighed., Results: There was a significant reduction in tumor growth using this novel polymer platform. The cisplatin-secreting polymer effectively reduced human head and neck tumor growth in SCID mice by 17-fold and SCC VII/SF tumors in C3H/HeJ mice by more than 16-fold compared with the control, plain polymer, and plain polymer + intratumoral cisplatin injection groups (P = .01 for both). We also observed a statistically significant lower tumor weight in mice treated with cisplatin polymer and concomitant radiation compared with the radiation alone and control groups., Conclusions: We demonstrate the efficacy of a novel polymer platform in delivering cisplatin to a partially resected SCC in a murine model. This polymer may represent a new therapeutic modality for patients with HNSCC. Once this polymer platform is optimized, we will plan for validation in the context of a prospective trial in patients with unresectable advanced or recurrent HNSCC.

Objective: To further understanding of treatment of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC)., Design: The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program database was searched for patients who had undergone surgery for PTC., Setting: Areas covered by Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results population-based registries., Patients: Patients who had undergone PTC surgery between January 1, 1988, and December 31, 2001, were included in the study., Main Outcome Measures: Disease-specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS)., Results: Of the total 22,724 patients with PTC, 5964 patients underwent lobectomy. There were 2138 total and 471 disease-specific deaths. Controlling for tumor size, multivariate analysis revealed no survival difference between patients who had undergone total thyroidectomy and those who had undergone lobectomy. Increased tumor size, extrathyroidal extent, positive nodal status, and increased age displayed significantly worse DSS and OS (P < .001). Histologically, follicular PTC subtype did not affect DSS or OS. Patients who had received radioactive iodine had poorer DSS but improved OS. Patients undergoing external beam radiation therapy had poor DSS (hazard ratio, 4.48; 95% confidence interval, 3.30-6.06; P < .001) and OS (1.71; 1.42-2.07; P < .001)., Conclusions: The results of this study compel us to reinvestigate the current PTC surgical recommendations of total thyroidectomy based on tumor size because this may not affect survival across all populations. In addition, the current use of external beam radiation therapy for the treatment of PTC should be reexamined.