Mucosal melanoma of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses is a rare disease, but its incidence appears to be increasing. The mean age at diagnosis is between 65 and 70 years. Unilateral nasal obstruction and epistaxis are the most common presenting complaints. Melanoma arises in the septum or lateral wall of the nasal cavity in the great majority of cases. The histological diagnosis is based on specific immunohistochemical labelling and is usually established at an advanced stage of disease: stage T3 or T4 tumours according to the 7th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) classification of tumours. First-line treatment consists of surgery. The place of intranasal endoscopic surgery remains controversial due to the difficulty of controlling surgical margins and should be reserved for experienced teams. Adjuvant radiotherapy is usually performed due to its efficacy on local and regional disease control. Five-year overall survival of mucosal melanoma of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses in the most recent series does not exceed 40%. Local recurrence is observed in about 50% of cases and metastatic disease is common. The quality of initial tumour resection with negative surgical margins is the most important prognostic factor for tumours confined to the nasal cavity. Hopes for improvement of survival are based on early diagnosis, progress in radiotherapy techniques and cell and gene therapy that are currently under evaluation.
Objective To assess the value of several diagnostic methods of nutritional status during the initial management of a head and neck cancer. Study Design Single-center prospective study. Setting Tertiary referral center. Subjects and Methods Ninety patients with head and neck cancer participated in the study. Assessment of their nutritional status was made with anthropometric, biological, body, and muscle measurements (the last by computed tomography: L3 muscle mass index [L3MMI]). Assessment of muscle performance (functional reflection of nutritional status) was made via the Short Physical Performance Battery test. The malnutrition thresholds were set according to the literature. Results Mean body mass index (BMI) was 24.6 ± 5.4 kg/m. Mean weight loss and albumin levels were -4.5 ± 10.5 kg and 37.1 ± 5.2 g/L, respectively. Fourteen percent of patients were diagnosed as malnourished on the basis of BMI, 54% according to the Nutritional Risk Index (NRI), and 58% by L3MMI. There was 64% agreement between NRI and L3MMI ( P < .001). All patients identified as malnourished by BMI were considered as such by the other assessment methods; however, many malnourished patients had normal or high BMI. The Short Physical Performance Battery score was low particularly among patients considered to be the most undernourished by the other methods. Conclusion NRI and L3MMI are the best methods to identify patients as being malnourished. Functional muscle assessment can determine the severity of malnutrition.
Objectives/Hypothesis: PENTOCLO treatment, associating pentoxifylline, tocopherol, and clodronate, resolves radiationinduced fibrosis. The main aim of the present study was to prospectively assess efficacy in mandibular osteoradionecrosis (ORN). Study Design: Prospective cohort study. Methods: Twenty-seven patients with mandibular ORN were included in the Pentoclauvergne Study between January 2014 and February 2016. After an initial 28-day phase of antibiotic, antifungal, and corticosteroid therapy, they received the PENTOCLO association daily until cure or a maximum of 24 months. The main assessment criterion was exposed bone area (EBA); secondary criteria comprised the Subjective, objective, management, and analytic (SOMA) score. Results: Under PENTOCLO, EBA decreased by 28% at 2 months, 55% at 6 months, and 92% at 24 months; the SOMA score decreased by 23%, 38%, and 50%, respectively. A complete treatment course cured 76.5% of patients at a mean 9.6 months. Conclusions: PENTOCLO is a simple, well-tolerated, and effective treatment for mandibular ORN.
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