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Objectives: The use of mobile phone is increasing around the world. Although it is beneficial in terms of communication, the electromagnetic radiations emitted by mobile phones may cause undesirable biological effects on the human body. In practical use, the tissue with which mobile phones come into most and are closest is the parotid gland. This study investigated the effects of the 1800 MHz electromagnetic field created by a generator on the parotid gland in rats. Methods: A total of 21 Sprague-Dawley Albino rats were included in the study. The rats were randomly divided into three equal groups. To simulate a mobile phone in conversation mode, the first study group was exposed to an 1800-MHz electromagnetic field for 6 hours a day for 30 days, and the second study group was exposed to an 1800-MHz electromagnetic field for 12 hours a day for 30 days. After 30 days, rats were sacrificed, and histopathological and immunohistochemical methods were used to evaluate the effects on the parotid gland. The total antioxidant level and the total oxidant level were measured biochemically in homogenized parotid tissue. Results: Histopathological results showed an increase in degeneration in rats exposed to electromagnetic fields for 6 and 12 hours a day, and immunohistochemical analysis showed an increase in the apoptotic index in both study groups ( P = .001, P < .001). Intranuclear inclusions was observed during histopathological examination performed by electron microscopy. Conclusions: This study observed that the 1800 MHz electromagnetic field caused undesirable adverse histopathological and biochemical effects on the parotid gland of rats. Histopathological and biochemical findings were detected with increasing contact and exposure time. This study will lead to other studies on this topic and contribute to the literature by completing other studies., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: Seed implant brachytherapy (SIBT) is a promising treatment modality for parotid gland cancers (PGCs). However, the current clinical standard dose calculation method based on the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Task Group 43 (TG-43) Report oversimplifies patient anatomy as a homogeneous water phantom medium, leading to significant dose calculation errors due to heterogeneity surrounding the parotid gland. Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) can yield accurate dose distributions but the long computation time hinders its wide application in clinical practice., Purpose: This paper aims to develop an end-to-end deep convolutional neural network-based dose engine (DCNN-DE) to achieve fast and accurate dose calculation for PGC SIBT., Methods: A DCNN model was trained using the patient's CT images and TG-43-based dose maps as inputs, with the corresponding MCS-based dose maps as the ground truth. The DCNN model was enhanced based on our previously proposed model by incorporating attention gates (AGs) and large kernel convolutions. Training and evaluation of the model were performed using a dataset comprising 188 PGC I-125 SIBT patient cases, and its transferability was tested on an additional 16 non-PGC head and neck cancers (HNCs) I-125 SIBT patient cases. Comparison studies were conducted to validate the superiority of the enhanced model over the original one and compare their overall performance., Results: On the PGC testing dataset, the DCNN-DE demonstrated the ability to generate accurate dose maps, with percentage absolute errors (PAEs) of 0.67% ± 0.47% for clinical target volume (CTV) D 90 and 1.04% ± 1.33% for skin D 0.1cc . The comparison studies revealed that incorporating AGs and large kernel convolutions resulted in 8.2% (p < 0.001) and 3.1% (p < 0.001) accuracy improvement, respectively, as measured by dose mean absolute error. On the non-PGC HNC dataset, the DCNN-DE exhibited good transferability, achieving a CTV D 90 PAE of 1.88% ± 1.73%. The DCNN-DE can generate a dose map in less than 10 ms., Conclusions: We have developed and validated an end-to-end DCNN-DE for PGC SIBT. The proposed DCNN-DE enables fast and accurate dose calculation, making it suitable for application in the plan optimization and evaluation process of PGC SIBT., (© 2024 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.)

Purpose/objective: To perform a dosimetric and a normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) comparison between intensity modulated proton therapy and photon volumetric modulated arc therapy in a cohort of patients with parotid gland cancers in a post-operative or radical setting., Materials and Methods: From May 2011 to September 2021, 37 parotid gland cancers patients treated at two institutions were eligible. Inclusion criteria were as follows: patients aged ⩾ 18 years, diagnosis of parotid gland cancers candidate for postoperative radiotherapy or definitive radiotherapy, presence of written informed consent for the use of anonymous data for research purposes. Organs at risk (OARs) were retrospectively contoured. Target coverage goal was defined as D95 > 98%. Six NTCP models were selected. NTCP profiles were calculated for each patient using an internally-developed Python script in RayStation TPS. Average differences in NTCP between photon and proton plans were tested for significance with a two-sided Wilcoxon signed-rank test., Results: Seventy-four plans were generated. A lower Dmean to the majority of organs at risk (inner ear, cochlea, oral cavity, pharyngeal constrictor muscles, contralateral parotid and submandibular gland) was obtained with intensity modulated proton therapy vs volumetric modulated arc therapy with statistical significance (p < .05). Ten (27%) patients had a difference in NTCP (photon vs proton plans) greater than 10% for hearing loss and tinnitus: among them, seven qualified for both endpoints, two patients for hearing loss only, and one for tinnitus., Conclusions: In the current study, nearly one-third of patients resulted eligible for proton therapy and they were the most likely to benefit in terms of prevention of hearing loss and tinnitus., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestThe author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The Division of Radiation Oncology of IEO received Institutional grants from Accuray InC. and Ion Beam Applications (IBA). BAJF received speakers’ fees from Roche, Bayer, Janssen, Carl Zeiss, Ipsen, Accuray, Astellas, Elekta, IBA and Astra Zeneca (all outside the current project). The remaining authors declare no conflicts of interest.

&lt;b&gt;&lt;br&gt;Introduction:&lt;/b&gt; We report our experience in the treatment of parotid cancers by radiotherapy delivered with curative intent over a period of 10 years.&lt;/br&gt; &lt;b&gt;&lt;br&gt;Aim:&lt;/b&gt; The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic results and prognostic factors.&lt;/br&gt; &lt;b&gt;&lt;br&gt;Materials and methods:&lt;/b&gt; This is a retrospective study of patients with parotid cancer treated with radiotherapy between 2008 and 2017 at the National Institute of Oncology in Rabat. Patients who received adjuvant or exclusive radiotherapy were included in this study. We performed a multivariate analysis for the factors related to locoregional control and overall survival.&lt;/br&gt; &lt;b&gt;&lt;br&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; Initially, 74 patients (45 men and 29 women), at a median age of 57 years. were identified. At the time of diagnosis, 10 (13.6%), 36 (48.6%), and 28 (37.8%) patients were in stage II, III, and IVab, respectively. Sixty patients received adjuvant radiotherapy after parotidectomy and 14 patients received exclusive radiotherapy for an unresectable tumor. At 5 years, the rate of locoregional control and overall survival were 68.2% and 53.7%, respectively. Surgical resection and negative margins were significantly correlated with locoregional control. Lymph node involvement, unresectable tumors, high-grade histological types, and cystic adenoid carcinoma were significantly correlated with poor overall survival.&lt;/br&gt; &lt;b&gt;&lt;br&gt;Conclusions:&lt;/b&gt; Acceptable long-term results are obtained with surgery combined with radiotherapy. Surgical resection remains essential for parotid cancer, given the disappointing results of treatment with radiotherapy alone.&lt;/br&gt.

In this case report, we address a rare entity of parotid cancer: basaloid squamous cell carcinoma, which was surgically unresectable and had thus far only been treated with radiation therapy. Following twenty years of continuous remission, our patient presented with an acute perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage. The cause of the acute perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage was a delayed complication of radiation therapy., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) in the treatment of diabetic patients with refractory wound. Background: Refractory wound is one of the most challenging clinical complications of diabetes mellitus. Studies have shown that PBMT can promote wound healing in many ways. Methods: We reported a 55-year-old male patient with refractory diabetic wound after secretory carcinoma of the parotid gland surgery responding to 810 nm laser. Results: After PBMT, the refractory diabetic wound healed gradually without adverse events. During follow-up 5-years, the healed wound remained stable and showed no signs of recurrence. Conclusions: PBMT can be potentially considered as a therapeutic method in diabetic patients with refractory diabetic wound.

Introduction: First case of radiation-induced parotid leiomyosarcoma., Anatomo-Clinical Observation: A 50-year-old woman with a history of cervical irradiation for Hodgkin's lymphoma presented with a right parotid tumefaction. Examination noted a deep adherent pretragal mass with peripheral facial palsy. A total parotidectomy with intra-operative examination and cervical curage was performed. Histopathological analysis concluded to a grade 3 parotid leiomyosarcoma according to the National Federation of Cancer Centers. Adjuvant radiotherapy was performed. After 24 months of follow-up, the patient presented bone and liver metastases without local recurrence., Discussion: This is the first case of radiation-induced leiomyosarcoma and the 12th case of parotid leiomyosarcoma described in the literature. The management associates surgery with adjuvant radiotherapy. Follow-up is by clinical examination, parotid MRI, and annual thoracoabdominal CT scan to search for metastases. Recurrences occur during the first year in 40 to 64% of cases, and distant metastases in 40 to 60% of cases. The 5-year survival rate is between 10 and 30%., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: We sought to describe outcomes for locally advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) involving the parotid treated with volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) versus pencil beam scanning proton beam therapy (PBT)., Materials and Methods: Patients were gathered from 2016 to 2022 from 5 sites of a large academic RT department; included patients were treated with RT and had parotid involvement by: direct extension of a cutaneous primary, parotid regional spread from a previously or contemporaneously resected but geographically separate cutaneous primary, or else primary parotid SCC (with a cutaneous primary ostensibly occult). Acute toxicities were provider-reported (CTCAE v5.0) and graded at each on treatment visit. Statistical analyses were conducted., Results: Median follow-up was 12.9 months (1.3 - 72.8); 67 patients were included. Positive margins/extranodal extension were present in 34 cases; gross disease in 17. RT types: 39 (58.2 %) VMAT and 28 (41.8 %) PBT. Concurrent systemic therapy was delivered in 10 (14.9 %) patients. There were 17 treatment failures (25.4 %), median time of 168 days. Pathologically positive neck nodes were associated with locoregional recurrence (p = 0.015). Oral cavity, pharyngeal constrictor, and contralateral parotid doses were all significantly lower for PBT. Median weight change was -3.8 kg (-14.1 - 5.1) for VMAT and -3 kg (-16.8 - 3) for PBT (p = 0.013). Lower rates of ≥ grade 1 xerostomia (p = 0.002) and ≥ grade 1 dysguesia (p < 0.001) were demonstrated with PBT., Conclusions: Cutaneous SCC involving the parotid can be an aggressive clinical entity despite modern multimodal therapy. PBT offers significantly lower dose to organs at risk compared to VMAT, which seemingly yields diminished acute toxicities., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Oncocytic lesions represent a group of benign and potentially precancerous tumors characterized by the accumulation of oncocytes, which are large, granular, and eosinophilic cells. Diagnosing oncocytic lesions in the parotid gland typically involves a combination of imaging techniques, such as ultrasound, Computed Tomography (CT) scans, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy with histopathological examination remains the primary diagnostic tool for these lesions. Accurate diagnosis is crucial for appropriate management decisions. Treatment options for oncocytic lesions in the parotid gland include surgery, conservative management, and radiation therapy (RT). However, in the head and neck region, radiation doses can be a double-edged sword. While RT is a treatment modality, low radiation doses can promote the development of oncocytic lesions in the parotid gland. The prognosis for patients with oncocytic lesions is generally favorable, especially when the lesions are benign and appropriately managed. Current research focuses on the molecular mechanisms underlying oncocytic lesions in response to low-dose radiation exposure. The development of these lesions following low radiation doses represents a significant clinical concern. This manuscript provides a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge regarding oncocytic lesions in the parotid gland, including risk factors, diagnosis, treatment options, and ongoing research, offering valuable insights for clinicians and researchers.

Purpose: We aimed to describe the association between trigeminal nerve (TN) dose and toxicity and determine a threshold value that leads to TN toxicity in patients with parotid tumors treated with adjuvant conventional fractionated radiation therapy., Methods and Materials: Eighteen patients who underwent adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) between 2013 and 2018 were included in this retrospective study. TN and its branches were outlined subsequently on the planning CT scans. The doses received by TN were obtained based on the dose-volume histogram. The dose and toxicity relationship was investigated over the total prescribed dose. RT-related toxicity was graded according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events V4.0 (CTCAEv4.0)., Results: The median follow-up was 29.5 months. After RT, 61% of patients had Grade I-II late TN toxicity divided into Grade I in 4 (22%) and Grade II in 7 (39%) patients. TN injury symptoms were as follows: loss of sensation in the chin area in 3, difficulty in jaw movements in 3, and paresthesia in 5 patients. The total RT dose (p = 0.001), Dmax (p = 0.001), PTV-TN Dmax (p = 0.001), D1cc (p = 0.004), D0.5cc (p = 0.001), and D0.1cc (p = 0.01) had a significant effect on TN toxicity. Cut-off values leading to toxicity were determined as 66, 65.5, 65.25, 63.6, and 62.7 Gy for Dmax, PTV-TN Dmax, D0.1cc, D 0.5cc, and D1cc, respectively., Conclusions: Radiation-induced TN injury in head and neck cancer patients may further be investigated in clinically prospective trials by virtue of high toxicity rates with current RT doses in our retrospectively designed dosimetric study in parotid tumors., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background and Purpose: To determine the role of adjuvant radiotherapy (ART) in parotid gland cancer without nodal metastasis, we evaluated the survival outcomes, prognostic factors, and dose-response relationships in patients with node-negative parotid gland cancer patients., Materials and Methods: Patients who underwent curative parotidectomy and were pathologically diagnosed with parotid gland cancer without regional or distant metastases between 2004 and 2019 were reviewed. The benefit of ART in terms of locoregional control (LRC) and progression-free survival (PFS) were evaluated., Results: In total, 261 patients were included in the analysis. Of them, 45.2 % received ART. The median follow-up period was 66.8 months. Multivariate analysis revealed that histological grade and ART were independent prognostic factors for LRC and PFS (all p <.05). For patients with high-grade histology, ART was associated with a significant improvement in 5-year LRC (p =.005) and PFS (p =.009). Among patients with high-grade histology who completed RT, higher biologic effective dose (≥77 Gy10) significantly increased PFS (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.10 per 1-Gy increase; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 0.02-0.58; p =.010). ART significantly improved LRC (p =.039) in patients with low-to-intermediate histological grade as well per multivariate analysis, and subgroup analyses revealed patients with T3-4 stage and close/positive resection margins (<1 mm) would benefit from ART., Conclusion: ART should be strongly recommended for patients with node-negative parotid gland cancer with high-grade histology in terms of disease control and survival. In patients with low-to-intermediate-grade disease, those with high T stage and incomplete resection margin benefit with ART., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study aims to analyse a single-centre cohort series of patients who underwent parotidectomy for primary malignant parotid tumours. A retrospective chart review of 64 consecutive patients treated from November 2010 to March 2022 was performed. Outcomes were analysed by Kaplan-Meier curves. Sixty-four patients with a primary parotid malignancy were included in the study, with one bilateral case in this cohort. Patients were classified as stage I-II in 39 cases and stage III-IV in 26 cases. The five-year overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), local relapse-free survival (LRFS), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) rates were 78.4%, 89%, 92.5%, and 87.1%, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that high-risk histology, stage IV disease, lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, node metastasis, skin involvement, facial nerve involvement, and positive or close margins were risk factors associated with poorer outcomes. At present, the best evidence suggests that radical surgery should be the standard approach, and adjuvant therapy, in terms of radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy, is recommended in patients with risk factors.

Objectives: Examine the role of elective neck dissection (END) and adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) in early-stage clinically N0 parotid mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC)., Methods: The study is a retrospective analysis of the National Cancer Database, 2004-2016. The study population included adult patients with MEC who underwent parotidectomy., Results: A total of 1233 patients were included. Histopathology demonstrated well, moderately, and poorly differentiated MEC 47.12%, 39.98%, and 12.90% of the time, respectively. END was performed in 78.67% of patients, resulting in nodal upstaging in 4.43% and identification of extracapsular extension (ECE) in 0.72%. RT was utilized in 67.33% of patients with advanced pathological features. Neither END nor RT improved overall survival separately (p < 0.05) or combined (adjusted HR: 1.19, 95%CI: 0.52, 2.70, p = 0.68)., Conclusion: This study provides an epidemiological perspective regarding patients with clinically T1-2, N0 MEC. There was no observed survival advantage with END and RT., (© 2022 The Authors. Head & Neck published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Otitis media with effusion (OME) is a known side effect of radiation therapy in patients with head and neck cancer., Aims/objectives: To investigate the incidence rate and clinical course of radiation-induced OME, we have reported on the long-term characteristics of OME in patients with parotid gland malignancy., Material and Methods: This cohort study assessed 200 patients who underwent post-parotidectomy radiation therapy from January 2010 to December 2019 in a tertiary referral center. Postoperative radiation therapy was performed at 6 weeks post-surgery. Serial magnetic resonance images were collected to detect otitis media. Two blinded otologists individually assessed data from radiation therapy initiation to 36 months of post-radiation therapy., Results: A total of 121 patients were enrolled (male, 61 [50.4%]; mean age, 46.98 ± 15.69 years), of which 14 developed otitis media (11.6%) within 6 months after radiation therapy. Spontaneous remission occurred without intervention within 1 year, excluding one patient who sustained otitis media for 2 years., Conclusions and Significance: Radiation-induced OME occurred in 11.6% of patients and it remitted within 1 year without intervention. Therefore, cooperation between otolaryngologists and radiation oncologists is required and invasive intervention should be considered with careful risk-benefit evaluation.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness and safety of surgery combined with 125 I seed brachytherapy for treatment of carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma (CXPA) of the parotid gland and to identify the factors associated with prognosis., Study Design: We conducted a retrospective analysis of data of patients with CXPA of the parotid gland treated with surgery plus 125 I seed brachytherapy at the Peking University School of Stomatology Hospital between December 2003 and July 2018., Results: Fifty-five patients (median age, 51 years) were included in the study. Median follow-up was 50.5 months. The 3-, 5-, and 10-year overall survival rates were 91.1%, 91.1%, and 81.5%, respectively. The 3-, 5-, and 10-year local control rates were all 85.2%. Grades 1-3 adverse effects occurred in 22 patients; no grade 4 reactions occurred. T stage, N stage, tumor invasiveness, perineural invasion, and surgical margins significantly affected local control rates. Lymph node metastasis and perineural invasion were independent predictors of poor local control. Lymph node metastasis was an independent predictor of poor survival., Conclusions: Surgery plus 125 I seed brachytherapy appears to be an effective and safe treatment for CXPA of the parotid gland. T stage, N stage, tumor invasiveness, and perineural invasion are factors influencing prognosis., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma (EMC) is a rare, low-grade malignancy that occurs primarily in the parotid gland and is most common in women aged 60 to 70 years. Cases of parotid EMC have been reported previously. Furthermore, some studies have suggested an increased risk of salivary gland tumors with secondary primary malignancies. There have been few reports of parotid EMC with other primary tumors., Patient Concerns: A 62-year-old Chinese man visited the hospital with a complaint of a mass on his left cheek that had persisted for 20 years. Routine pulmonary computed tomography showed a local ground glass shadow in the lower lobe of the right lung., Diagnosis: The pathological diagnosis of lung was right lower lobe lung adenocarcinoma (pT1N0). Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that cytokeratin (CK)-7, NapsinA, and thyroid transcription factor-1 tested positive, while CK5/6, P40, and ALKD5F3 tested negative. The pathological diagnosis of left parotid gland: EMC. On immunohistochemistry staining, the outer cells expressed myoepithelial markers, such as CK5/6, P63, smooth muscle actin, while the inner cells expressed glandular epithelial markers, such as low-molecular-weight CK7 and CK8., Interventions: The patient underwent resection of the lung and parotid tumors, and received preventive radiotherapy in the parotid gland area., Outcomes: The patient is in good condition. No symptom recurrence, distant metastatic spread or significant toxicity occurred during or after the treatment. The patient remains under regular surveillance., Conclusion: We report a rare case of parotid EMC with a second primary lung adenocarcinoma. This case is the third case of primary lung cancer associated with parotid EMC reported to date and the first to be reported in nearly 30 years.

Background: Owing to the low incidence of adenoid cystic carcinoma (AdCC), reliable survival estimates and prognostic factors remained unclarified., Methods: In this multi-institutional retrospective analysis, we collected 192 AdCC cases, and investigated the impact of clinicopathological factors on clinical outcomes of the patients. All AdCC cases were of salivary gland origin and were surgically treated with curative intent. Diagnoses of AdCC were validated by a central pathology review by expert pathologists., Results: The 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 92.5 and 50.0%, respectively. Treatment failure occurred in 89 patients (46%) with the distant failures in 65 (34%). Multivariate analysis indicated that pN2 and a pathologically positive surgical margin were independent prognostic factors for both OS and DFS. Histological grade III was an independent prognostic factor for OS. A primary site in the submandibular gland, pT3/4, pN1, and histological grade II were independent prognostic factors for DFS. Postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) improved the locoregional control (LRC) rate. Prophylactic neck dissection was not associated with a better OS or better LRC among patients with cN0. Facial nerve dissection did not improve clinical outcomes in parotid AdCC cases without facial nerve palsy., Conclusions: A higher TN classification, a pathologically positive surgical margin, and a higher histological grade were associated with a lower OS. PORT improved LRC rates but neck dissection failed to improve clinical outcomes in patients with cN0. As the distant metastasis was frequent, effective systemic therapy is imperative to improve the survival of AdCC patients.

Background: Due to the rarity of low-grade parotid gland cancer and the diversity of histologic subtype, its optimal treatment modalities and prognostic factors have not been established yet. In this study, we aimed to identify the prognostic factors and adequate treatment modalities for patients with low-grade parotid gland cancer., Methods: We retrospectively analyzed clinico-pathologic data from 287 patients with low-grade parotid gland cancer from 1999 to 2018., Results: Recurrence-free survival, disease-specific survival, and overall survival rates at 10 years were 80.6%, 93.9%, and 84.4%, respectively. Among all patients, 56.1% received surgery alone, and the remaining 43.9% received surgery with adjuvant radiotherapy. Resection margin status and TNM stage were significant unfavorable prognostic factors. In patients with T1-2 tumor, surgical extent (total vs. less-than-total) did not show any significant effect on disease recurrence and patients' survival, and the disease was controlled well if a negative surgical margin was obtained after surgery, even with microscopic clear margin of<1 mm. In patients with adverse pathologic features (positive margin, lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, extracapsular nodal spread, T3-4, and N1-3), adjuvant radiotherapy significantly decreased loco-regional recurrence., Conclusions: Oncological outcomes were good in patients with low-grade parotid gland cancer with surgery and radiotherapy. In patients with T1-2 low-grade parotid gland cancer, surgery alone showed good local control rate regardless of the extent of surgery, if a negative surgical margin was obtained after surgery. Adjuvant radiotherapy played a significant role in controlling loco-regional recurrence in patients with adverse pathologic features., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declared that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

We report the case of an 84-year-old woman with poorly differentiated non-small cell carcinoma of the right parotid who presented with headache, was found to have a primary right parotid gland cancer as well as metastatic disease, and underwent palliative radiotherapy to the primary site. The patient received no chemotherapy or immunotherapy, but both the primary site and several non-irradiated foci in the lungs regressed or completely resolved. The patient remained free of disease for about one year before progression. The case is a rare instance of abscopal regression of metastatic disease in the absence of pharmacologic immunomodulation. A literature review surveys the history of the abscopal effect of radiation therapy, attempts to understand the mechanisms of its successes and failures, and points to new approaches that can inform and improve the outcomes of radioimmunotherapy., (Copyright © 2020 Société française de radiothérapie oncologique (SFRO). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: This study summarizes the treatment modalities of basal cell adenocarcinoma (BCAC) of the parotid gland and subsequent outcome at a single institution to better define the treatment of this rare tumor., Material and Methods: A retrospective review of patients treated for BCAC of the parotid gland from 1/01/1996 to 08/1/2018 was performed. Patients were identified using our institution's Cancer Registry., Results: A total of thirteen patients (46% female, median age of 56) treated for BCAC of the parotid gland were identified. Eight patients (57%) were staged as T1, four were staged as T2 (29%), and two were stage T4a (14%) due to tumor involvement of the facial nerve. None of the patients had nodal involvement or distant metastases. Three patients (21%) underwent radiation therapy ranging from 60-70Gy for positive margin or facial nerve involvement by tumor. Five patients (36%) underwent a neck dissection (ND) ranging from just a level IIb dissection up to levels IIa, IIb, and III with none of the nodes being positive for disease. The remainder of patients did not undergo a neck dissection. Follow-up was 8.1 ± 6.2 (mean ± SD) years with no local or regional recurrence at time of last follow-up in any patient cohort., Conclusions: Our review suggests that elective neck dissections are not necessary following resection of T1/T2N0M0 basal cell adenocarcinoma for the prevention of local or regional recurrence. No longer performing neck dissections for T1/T2N0M0 BCAC would reduce the morbidity associated with the treatment of this rare parotid tumor., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors report no relevant conflict of interest in submitting this article for publication., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Recurrent or previously irradiated head and neck cancers (HNC) are therapeutically challenging and may benefit from high-dose, highly accurate radiation techniques, such as stereotactic ablative radiation therapy (SABR). Here, we compare set-up and positioning accuracy across HNC subsites to further optimize the treatment process and planning target volume (PTV) margin recommendations for head and neck SABR., Methods and Materials: We prospectively collected data on 405 treatment fractions across 79 patients treated with SABR for recurrent/previously irradiated HNC. First, interfractional error was determined by comparing ExacTrac x-ray to the treatment plan. Patients were then shifted and residual error was measured with repeat x-ray. Next, cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) was compared with ExacTrac for positioning agreement, and final shifts were applied. Lastly, intrafractional error was measured with x-ray before each arc. Results were stratified by treatment site into skull base, neck/parotid, and mucosal., Results: Most patients (66.7%) were treated to 45 Gy in 5 fractions (range, 21-47.5 Gy in 3-5 fractions). The initial mean ± standard deviation interfractional errors were -0.2 ± 1.4 mm (anteroposterior), 0.2 ± 1.8 mm (craniocaudal), and -0.1 ± 1.7 mm (left-right). Interfractional 3-dimensional vector error was 2.48 ± 1.44, with skull base significantly lower than other sites (2.22 vs 2.77; P = .0016). All interfractional errors were corrected to within 1.3 mm and 1.8°. CBCT agreed with ExacTrac to within 3.6 mm and 3.4°. CBCT disagreements and intrafractional errors of >1 mm or >1° occurred at significantly lower rates in skull base sites (CBCT: 16.4% vs 50.0% neck, 52.0% mucosal, P < .0001; intrafractional: 22.0% vs 48.7% all others, P < .0001). Final PTVs were 1.5 mm (skull base), 2.0 mm (neck/parotid), and 1.8 mm (mucosal)., Conclusions: Head and neck SABR PTV margins should be optimized by target site. PTV margins of 1.5 to 2 mm may be sufficient in the skull base, whereas 2 to 2.5 mm may be necessary for neck and mucosal targets. When using ExacTrac, skull base sites show significantly fewer uncertainties throughout the treatment process, but neck/mucosal targets may require the addition of CBCT to account for positioning errors and internal organ motion., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In vivo prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) overexpression creates an opportunity for PSMA-directed theranostic approach in adenoid cystic carcinoma of the parotid. Herein, we illustrate a patient with metastatic PSMA-directed theranostic approach in adenoid cystic carcinoma of the parotid who had intense PSMA uptake on metastatic lesions, followed by radionuclide therapy with Lu-PSMA.

Background: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness and safety of surgery combined with postoperative 125 I seed brachytherapy for treatment of primary mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) of the parotid gland., Methods: Retrospective analysis of data of patients with MEC (n = 108) treated with surgery plus postoperative 125 I seed brachytherapy between 2004 and 2016. Overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), local control rate (LCR), distant metastasis, and radiation-associated toxicities were analyzed, and factors affecting outcomes were evaluated., Results: The 5- and 10-year OS were 98.8% and 95.8%, respectively. The DFS and LCR at 5 and 10 years were all 91.4%. Age ≥ 60 years (hazard ratio [HR] = 6.86, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.54-30.55) and T4 disease (HR = 7.15, 95% CI: 1.40-36.52) were poor prognostic factors. Acute radiation-associated toxicities were minor., Conclusion: Surgery plus 125 I seed brachytherapy appears to be an effective treatment for parotid gland MEC, capable of providing satisfactory outcomes with few complications., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Parotid gland carcinoma is a rare and complicated histopathological classification. Therefore, assembling a sufficient number of cases with long-term outcomes in a single institute can present a challenge., Method: The medical records of 108 parotid gland carcinoma patients who were treated at Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan, between 1983 and 2014 were reviewed. The survival outcomes were analysed according to clinicopathological findings., Results: Forty-six patients had low clinical stage tumours (I-II), and 62 patients had high clinical stage tumours (III-IV). Fifty-two, 10 and 46 patients had low-, intermediate- and high-grade tumours, respectively. Twenty-seven of 65 cases had positive surgical margins. In high clinical stage and intermediate- to high-grade tumours, adjuvant radiation therapy was correlated with local recurrence-free survival (p = 0.0244). Intermediate- to high-grade tumours and positive surgical margins were significantly associated with disease-specific survival in multivariate analysis (p = 0.0002 and p = 0.0058)., Conclusion: The results of this study show that adjuvant radiation therapy is useful for improved local control in patients with high clinical stage and intermediate- to high-grade tumours.

Salivary glands tumours are uncommon tumours showing a large diversity of histological types. This article presents a synthesis of patterns and paths of invasion of parotid glands tumours in order to propose an approach of the delineation of primary tumour clinical target volumes and of the selection of lymph nodes target volumes. This article does not discuss treatment indications but defines clinical target volumes to treat if radiotherapy is indicated. Postoperative situation being the most frequent, the delineation of primary tumour clinical target volume is based on an anatomical approach., (Copyright © 2019 Société française de radiothérapie oncologique (SFRO). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Reports of acute treatment-related dysphagia and toxicities for patients with parotid tumours or cutaneous head and neck cancer (HNC) are limited. This study aimed to describe the severity and timing of dysphagia and related toxicities experienced during radiotherapy for cutaneous HNC and parotid tumours, to inform the nature of future speech pathology (SP) service models required during treatment., Methods: Prospective study of 32 patients with parotid tumours and 36 with cutaneous HNC undergoing curative non-surgical management. Dysphagia and acute toxicity data was collected weekly during treatment and at 2, 4 and 12 weeks post-treatment using the Functional Oral Intake Scale, diet descriptors and CTCAE v4.0., Results: In both groups, minimal treatment toxicities (grades 0-1) were observed. Xerostomia and dysgeusia were the most frequently reported grade 2 toxicities. Only 3% of parotid patients and 6% with cutaneous HNC experienced grade 3 dysphagia. Full or soft texture diets were maintained by > 70% of patients in both groups. Symptoms peaked in the final week of treatment and rapidly improved thereafter. Apart from xerostomia < 10% of patients had any grade 2 toxicity at 12 weeks post-treatment., Conclusion: Patients in these subgroups of HNC experienced minimal treatment-related toxicity during radiotherapy. As such, the need for supportive symptom management by SP is low. Models that involve interdisciplinary surveillance of symptoms with referral to SP only when required may be best suited for these individuals to ensure issues are identified whilst minimising patient burden created by unnecessary routine SP appointments.

Objectives: Radiation therapy is commonly used to treat head and neck malignancies. While there is abundant research regarding photon radiation therapy, literature on neutron radiotherapy (NRT) and oral complications is limited. This study aims to determine: (1) the 6-year and 10-year locoregional control and survival rates, (2) factors associated with locoregional control and survival and (3) the frequency of oral complications in patients undergoing NRT for salivary gland malignancies., Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study. The sample was composed of patients with salivary gland malignancies treated with NRT between 1997 and 2010. Data were extracted from patient charts, telephone surveys, and social security records. Multivariate competing risk and Cox regression models were used to assess predictors of locoregional control and survival., Results: The sample was composed of 545 subjects with a mean age of 54.2 years (±16). The predominant tumor and location were adenoid cystic carcinoma (47%) and the parotid (56%). Multivariate analysis indicated that positive surgical margins, biopsied/inoperable malignancies, neck involvement, and lymphovascular invasion were prognostic risk factors associated with decreased survival. The 6- and 10-year locoregional control rates were 84% and 79%. The 6- and 10-year survival rates were 72% and 62%. Osteoradionecrosis developed in 3.4% of subjects., Conclusions: The 6- and 10-year locoregional control and survival rates compare favorably to rates reported for conventional photon radiation. Osteoradionecrosis rates were comparable to that of photon radiation treatment (2-7%). Given the potential benefits of NRT, healthcare professionals should be educated regarding its indications and oral complications., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The aim of the study was to compare the dose differences between two kinds of materials (silica gel and hydrogel) used to prepare boluses based on three-dimensional (3D) printing technologies and commercial bolus in head phantoms simulating nose, ear, and parotid gland radiotherapy., Methods and Materials: We used 3D printing technology to make silica gel and hydrogel boluses. To evaluate the clinical feasibility, intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) plans were created for head phantoms that were bolus-free or had a commercial bolus, a silica gel bolus, or a hydrogel bolus. Dosimetry differences were compared in simulating nose, ear, and parotid gland radiotherapy separately., Results: The air gaps were smaller in the silica gel and hydrogel bolus than the commercial one. In nose plans, it was shown that the V 95% (relative volume that is covered by at least 95% of the prescription dose) of the silica gel (99.86%) and hydrogel (99.95%) bolus were better than the commercial one (98.39%) and bolus-free (87.52%). Similarly, the homogeneity index (HI) and conformity index (CI) of the silica gel (0.06; 0.79) and hydrogel (0.058; 0.80) bolus were better than the commercial one (0.094; 0.72) and bolus-free (0.59; 0.53). The parameters of results (HI, CI, V 95% ) were also better in 3D printing boluses than in the commercial bolus or without bolus in ear and parotid plans., Conclusions: Silica gel and hydrogel boluses were not only good for fit and a high level of comfort and repeatability, but also had better parameters in IMRT plans. They could replace the commercial bolus for clinical use., (© 2018 The Authors. Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Association of Physicists in Medicine.)

Background/aims: The importance of adjuvant radiotherapy in patients with close margin resections for mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the parotid gland remains unclear., Methods: Patients who underwent parotidectomy for mucoepidermoid carcinoma with or without adjuvant radiotherapy at a single academic tertiary care center from 2000 to 2014 were identified. Included patients had negative but close (≤2 mm) surgical margins without other high-risk histopathological factors including advanced T-stage, positive nodal disease, lymphovascular or perineural invasion, or high-grade histology., Results: Nineteen patients were identified, of whom 15 (79%) were observed postoperatively, while 4 (21%) underwent adjuvant radiotherapy. There were no significant differences in extent of parotidectomy, elective neck dissection, T staging, or tumor size between patients who were observed and those undergoing adjuvant radiation. There were no locoregional or distant recurrences in any patients at a mean follow up 74.3 months. Patients undergoing adjuvant radiation, however, had significantly more intermediate-grade as compared to low-grade histology (75% vs. 13%, difference 62%, 95% CI 4% to 100%)., Conclusions: Patients with negative but close (≤2 mm) surgical margins without other high-risk histopathological factors have excellent long-term locoregional control with surgery alone. The effects of adjuvant radiotherapy for those who have intermediate-grade disease remain uncertain., (© 2019 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Importance: The precise indications and oncologic effects of adjuvant radiotherapy in acinic cell carcinoma of the parotid gland are not well known, particularly in patients with negative, but close (≤1 mm), margins without other high-risk histopathologic factors., Objective: To evaluate the oncologic outcomes of patients with acinic cell carcinoma of the parotid gland and the results of adjuvant therapy for those with close (≤1-mm) margins., Design, Setting, and Participants: In a retrospective case series with medical record review at a single academic tertiary referral center, patients treated surgically from January 2000 to December 2014 for acinic cell carcinoma of the parotid gland were identified from an institutional database. All data analysis was performed in September 2017., Exposures: All patients underwent parotidectomy with or without adjuvant radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy., Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point was locoregional control. Secondary end points included recurrence patterns and survival., Results: Forty-five patients were identified in this case series (23 [51%] female), with a mean (SD) age of 47.1 (19.5) years. The median follow-up in surviving patients was 56.7 months (range, 18.5-204 months). Four patients (9%) experienced recurrence (1 local and 3 distant) at a median of 67.3 months (range, 12.7-136 months) after surgery. Thirteen patients (29%) had at least one high-risk histopathologic factor (advanced T category, nodal disease, lymphovascular or perineural invasion, high-grade, or positive margins). The remaining 32 patients (71%) without these high-risk factors had significantly improved disease-free survival (hazard ratio, 0.08; 95% CI, 0.01-0.71). Of patients without high-risk factors, those with close (≤1-mm) margins were significantly more likely to receive adjuvant radiotherapy (10 [56%] vs 1 [7%]; difference, 49%; 95% CI, 16%-82%), although this was not associated with disease control. At a median follow-up of 64.3 months (range, 33-204 months) in the 18 patients with close (≤1-mm) margins without other high-risk factors (10 with adjuvant radiotherapy and 8 without adjuvant therapy), only 1 patient (who had received adjuvant radiotherapy) experienced a recurrence, at 136 months after surgery., Conclusions and Relevance: Patients with acinic cell carcinoma of the parotid gland whose only histopathologic risk factor is a close (≤1 mm) but negative margin do not appear to benefit from adjuvant radiotherapy. Recurrent disease is rare but may occur many years after initial treatment, and patients with acinic cell carcinoma could benefit from lifelong clinical surveillance.

Purpose: About 40-60% of patients treated with post-operative radiotherapy for parotid cancer experience ipsilateral sensorineural hearing loss. Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) can reduce radiation dose to the cochlea. COSTAR, a phase III trial, investigated the role of cochlear-sparing IMRT (CS-IMRT) in reducing hearing loss., Methods: Patients (pT1-4 N0-3 M0) were randomly assigned (1:1) to 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) or CS-IMRT by minimisation, balancing for centre and radiation dose of 60Gy or 65Gy in 30 daily fractions. The primary end-point was proportion of patients with sensorineural hearing loss in the ipsilateral cochlea of ≥10 dB bone conduction at 4000 Hz 12 months after radiotherapy compared using Fisher's exact test. Secondary end-points included hearing loss at 6 and 24 months, balance assessment, acute and late toxicity, patient-reported quality of life, time to recurrence and survival., Results: From Aug 2008 to Feb 2013, 110 patients (54 3DCRT; 56 CS-IMRT) were enrolled from 22 UK centres. Median doses to the ipsilateral cochlea were 3DCRT: 56.2Gy and CS-IMRT: 35.7Gy (p < 0.0001). 67/110 (61%) patients were evaluable for the primary end-point; main reasons for non-evaluability were non-attendance at follow-up or incomplete audiology assessment. At 12 months, 14/36 (39%) 3DCRT and 11/31 (36%) CS-IMRT patients had ≥10 dB loss (p = 0.81). No statistically significant differences were observed in hearing loss at 6 or 24 months or in other secondary end-points including patient-reported hearing outcomes., Conclusion: CS-IMRT reduced the radiation dose below the accepted tolerance of the cochlea, but this did not lead to a reduction in the proportion of patients with clinically relevant hearing loss., (Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The treatment of malignant parotid tumors with 125 I brachytherapy is rarely reported. This study evaluated the efficacy and dose and response of 125 I brachytherapy in patients with malignant tumors., Materials and Methods: From July 2014 through August 2017, 39 patients with malignant parotid tumors were treated with 125 I brachytherapy. Thirty-five patients were treated with conservative surgical resection before brachytherapy. Four patients were treated with brachytherapy alone. Clinical outcomes and side effects were evaluated. Clinical factors were investigated to determine correlations with local control (LC) and side effects., Results: Mean follow-up was 25 months (range, 7 to 47 months). The LC rate was 87.2% and the overall survival rate was 97.4%. High tumor grade and large tumor showed a propensity for local recurrence. Acute skin toxicity occurred in 87.2% of patients and grade 3 and 4 radioepidermitis was found in 20.5% of patients. In total, 89.7% of patients with facial nerve dysfunction recovered within 12 months., Conclusions: 125 I brachytherapy was a feasible treatment option for patients with malignant parotid tumors. Although side effects were minimal, strict follow-up was necessary for patients treated with a high dose., (Copyright © 2018 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The aim of the study was to present long-term results of mandibular growth in pediatric parotid gland carcinoma survivors treated with interstitial brachytherapy., Procedure: Twenty-five survivors of pediatric parotid gland carcinoma treated with iodine-125 seed interstitial brachytherapy were included for quantitative analysis, including three dimensional (3D) cephalometry and measurement of mandibular volume., Results: 3D cephalometry showed that the median fore-and-aft increments of the lengths of the condyle, the ramus, and the body of the mandible were 1.23, 0.19, and 1.66 mm for the affected side, respectively, and were 1.37, 1.95, and 3.42 mm for the unaffected side, respectively. The difference in increments of the ramus was statistically significant between the affected side and the unaffected side (P = 0.003; P < 0.05). Moreover, mandibular volume measurements showed that the median fore-and-aft increments of the volumes of the condyle, the ramus, and the body of the mandible were 290.62, 220.14, and 1706.40 mm 3 for the affected side, respectively, and were 269.15, 370.40, and 1469.86 mm 3 for the unaffected side, respectively. The difference in increments was statistically significant between the affected side and the unaffected side for the ramus (P = 0.005; P < 0.05) and the body (P = 0.043; P < .05)., Conclusion: Mandibular growth was affected by interstitial brachytherapy, especially for the ramus, in pediatric parotid gland carcinoma survivors treated with interstitial brachytherapy. Nevertheless, the impact was mild in these survivors., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Otitis media (OM) and associated hearing problems may be side effects to radiotherapy of the head and neck region and affect patient quality of life. The condition is associated with the tumor location., Objective: To perform a systematic review concerning the present knowledge of the risk of OM after radiotherapy of the head and neck., Methods: A comprehensive search of PubMed and Embase was carried out between 1 October 2015 and 6 February 2017. The search strategy followed the PRISMA guideline for systematic reviews., Results: Of 597 articles 11 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Seven were retrospective and four prospective. There were no randomized controlled trials. Eight studies concerned nasopharyngeal cancer. One study concerned cancer of the parotid gland and two studies concerned other locations of head and neck cancer. Meta-analysis could not be done due to heterogeneity between the studies. The incidence of OM varied considerably (range 8-29%)., Conclusions: The incidence of OM is high after radiotherapy of cancer of the upper head and neck area and the Eustachian tube (ET) irradiation dosage seems associated with development of OM, but the literature is poor. Research is needed to designate patients at risk of developing OM after radiotherapy. Preferably through analysis of dosage relationships between the ET and middle ear, and development of OM. Reporting of OM should be per ear and follow standardized protocols of middle ear assessment before and after radiotherapy. Furthermore, there is a need to find new ways to prevent and treat radiation-induced OME, preferably through randomized controlled trials.

Objectives: To evaluate the demographics, clinical features, survival outcomes, and prognostic indicators of patients with acinic cell carcinoma (ACC) of the parotid gland with emphasis on the roles of grade, tumor size, and nodal status in survival., Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of cases diagnosed between 2004 and 2012 from the National Cancer Database was performed. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with survival., Results: 2362 cases were identified. Most patients were females (61.3%) and Caucasian (85.4%) with a median age of 54 years (range, 18-90 years). Most tumors were <3 cm in size (75.8%). Regional metastases and high-grade histology were rare (8.2%, 5.1%). All patients received surgery as primary treatment with 42.7% of patients receiving adjuvant radiation therapy or chemoradiotherapy. 5 year overall survival was 88.6%. On multivariable analysis, age >70 years (hazard ratio [HR]: 10.05, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.64-17.91), high-grade (HR: 5.30, 95% CI: 3.39-8.29), tumor size of 3 to 6 cm (HR: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.10-2.12), tumor size >6 cm (HR: 2.98, 95% CI: 1.681-5.289), pN2+ (HR: 3.14, 95% CI: 2.10-4.69), T4 (HR: 2.89, 95% CI: 1.74-4.80) were significant prognosticators., Conclusion: Although patients with ACC generally are considered to have a favorable prognosis, an aggressive subgroup with poor outcomes was identified. This group is characterized by high-grade, advanced T classification, tumors larger than 3 cm, with regional metastases and age greater than 70 years. Histologic grade is a substantially stronger predictor of survival than T and N classifications., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Myoepithelial carcinoma (MC) is a rare, locally aggressive malignant neoplasm of the salivary glands. Only few evidences on its metastatic behavior are available in the literature. We herein present a unique case of MC of left parotid gland which metastasized to bilateral cavernous sinuses. The patient was successfully treated with palliative radiotherapy and chemotherapy., (Copyright © 2018 National Cancer Institute, Cairo University. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives To investigate the clinical predictors and survival implications of perineural invasion (PNI) in parotid gland malignancies. Study Design Case series with chart review. Setting Tertiary care medical center. Subjects and Methods Patients with parotid gland malignancies treated surgically from 2000 to 2015 were retrospectively identified in the Head and Neck Cancer Registry at a single institution. Data points were extracted from the medical record and original pathology reports. Results In total, 186 patients with parotid gland malignancies were identified with a mean follow-up of 5.2 years. Salivary duct carcinoma (45), mucoepidermoid carcinoma (44), and acinic cell carcinoma (26) were the most common histologic types. A total of 46.2% of tumors were found to have PNI. At the time of presentation, facial nerve paresis (odds ratio [OR], 64.7; P < .001) and facial pain (OR, 3.7; P = .002) but not facial paresthesia or anesthesia (OR, 2.8, P = .085) were predictive of PNI. Malignancies with PNI were significantly more likely to be of advanced T and N classification, be high-risk pathologic types, and have positive margins and angiolymphatic invasion. PNI positivity was associated with worse overall (hazard ratio, 2.62; P = .001) and disease-free survival (4.18; P < .001) on univariate Cox regression analysis. However, when controlling for other negative prognosticators, age, and adjuvant therapy, PNI did not have a statistically significant effect on disease-free or overall survival. Conclusions PNI is strongly correlated with more aggressive parotid gland malignancies but is not an independent predictor of worse survival. Facial paresis and pain were predictive of PNI positivity, and facial paresis correlated with worse overall and disease-free survival.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of iodine-125 ( 125 I) brachytherapy alone for the treatment of advanced parotid gland carcinoma and to identify predictors of tumour control and patient survival. Primary parotid gland carcinoma patients (n=23) treated with 125 I brachytherapy alone between 1 October 2005 and 31 July 2013 at Peking University Stomatology Hospital were enrolled in this retrospective study. All had clinical stage IV disease. The prescribed dose was 60-160Gy. The local control rate, survival rate, and predictors of the prognosis were evaluated. Adverse events related to treatment were also noted. The average follow-up time was 29 months (range 9-74 months). Among the 23 patients, six had local failure and 11 died during the follow-up period. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates were 87.0%, 55.4%, and 47.5%, respectively. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year progression-free survival rates were 73.9%, 47.0%, and 39.2%, respectively. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year local control rates were 82.1%, 73.9%, and 73.9%, respectively. Age and distant metastasis were independent predictors of survival, while the preoperative duration of the disease was an independent predictor of local control. The use of 125 I seed brachytherapy alone for the treatment of primary parotid gland carcinoma can provide good short-term results without causing any severe side effects., (Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Purpose: The treatment of inoperable parotid gland carcinoma is challenging and controversial. The purpose of this paper was to present our experience in treating this malignancy using 125 I interstitial brachytherapy., Methods and Materials: Thirteen patients with advanced carcinomas of the parotid gland were included and treated with 125 I interstitial brachytherapy in Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology from January 2003 to December 2015. All patients were treated with 125 I interstitial brachytherapy as a sole modality for the primary tumor. Furthermore, all of them were treated with neck dissection with/without adjunctive external beam radiotherapy for the neck, simultaneously. The prescription dose of interstitial brachytherapy was 140-160 Gy., Results: Median followup was 56 months (range: 8-105 months). The 2-year and 5-year local control rates were 91.7% and 58.2%, respectively. The 2-year and 5-year overall survival rates were 100% and 61%, respectively. No cervical lymph node metastasis was observed during the followup. No interstitial brachytherapy-related severe complications occurred. Facial nerve function was preserved well., Conclusions: 125 I interstitial brachytherapy is a feasible and effective treatment for inoperable parotid gland carcinomas without severe complications. And neck dissection with/without external beam radiotherapy is necessary for patients with cervical metastasis or at high risk of cervical metastasis., (Copyright © 2017 American Brachytherapy Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To evaluate the incidence and associated factors of pulmonary seed migration after parotid brachytherapy using a novel migrated seed detection technique., Methods and Materials: Patients diagnosed with parotid cancer who underwent permanent parotid brachytherapy from January 2006 to December 2011 were reviewed retrospectively. Head and neck CT scans and chest X-rays were evaluated during routine follow-up. Mimics software and Geomagic Studio software were used for seed reconstruction and migrated seed detection from the original implanted region, respectively. Postimplant dosimetry analysis was performed after seeds migration if the seeds were still in their emitting count. Adverse clinical sequelae from seed embolization to the lung were documented., Results: The radioactive seed implants were identified on chest X-rays in 6 patients. The incidence rate of seed migration in 321 parotid brachytherapy patients was 1.87% (6/321) and that of individual seed migration was 0.04% (6/15218 seeds). All migrated seeds were originally from the retromandibular region. No adverse dosimetric consequences were found in the target region. Pulmonary symptoms were not reported by any patient in this study., Conclusions: In our patient set, migration of radioactive seeds with an initial radioactivity of 0.6-0.7 mCi to the chest following parotid brachytherapy was rare. Late migration of a single seed from the central target region did not affect the dosimetry significantly, and patients did not have severe short-term complications. This study proposed a novel technique to localize the anatomical origin of the migrated seeds during brachytherapy. Our evidence suggested that placement of seeds adjacent to blood vessels was associated with an increased likelihood of seed migration to the lungs., (Copyright © 2017 American Brachytherapy Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Malignant myoepithelioma of salivary glands is a rare neoplasm; most arise in the parotid gland and minor salivary glands of the palate. Surgery has been the mainstay of treatment., Methods: This is case report of a patient treated with primary radical radiotherapy and retrospective review of institutional experience., Results: An 87-year-old man with locoregionally advanced malignant myoepithelioma of the parotid gland received radiotherapy alone with complete clinical response and sustained 39 months of posttreatment. Between 1981 and 2012, 15 cases of malignant myoepithelioma of the parotid were seen. Thirteen patients received surgical excision and adjuvant radiotherapy. At a median follow-up of 47 months, 12 patients were alive without recurrence, 2 died without recurrence, and 1 died with metastatic myoepithelioma., Conclusions: Durable locoregional disease control and disease-free-survival was achieved in the majority of patients. The case reported suggests radiation therapy may be an effective treatment option for inoperable cases.

Malignant salivary gland sarcomas represent a clinically and histologically diagnostic challenge. Primary unclassified sarcomas of the parotid gland consist a rare salivary gland tumor. We report an unusual case of such a tumor, which occurred in the right parotid gland of a 54-year-old male and presented as an asymptomatic painless mass. The pathologoanatomical examination revealed a rhabdoid large-cell unclassified sarcoma. The patient was treated with superficial parotidectomy and adjuvant radiotherapy. No recurrence was noted in a 10-year follow-up period. Due to the rare occurrence of primary unclassified sarcomas, there is no evidence-based treatment of choice. An optimal approach is best planned in a multidisciplinary setting, taking into consideration the resectability of the tumor, individual patient characteristics, presence of local or distant metastatic activity, local infiltrative behavior and tumor stage. A close follow-up of the patient is strongly recommended.