Latest English Literature Updates by Month

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January 2025

Paper title: Facial artery bulb as a landmark for transoral robotic surgery in oropharyngeal carcinoma

point: Facial artery bulb
–Located approximately 4 cm from the pterygoid hook, positioned inferolaterally to the styloglossus muscle
–May be mistaken for the lingual artery
–The ascending palatine artery and the tonsillar artery branch from it

Paper title: Delayed Postoperative Radiotherapy in Head & Neck Cancers—A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis

Update date/part/theme: January 7, 2025/General head and neck/Radiation therapy

point: Delayed postoperative radiotherapy (delayed PORT) worsens prognosis in head and neck cancer
・Starting radiation therapy within 42 days after surgery improves overall survival (OS)
Improvement (aHR: 1.04, 95% CI: 1.03–1.06)
- PORT within 42 days also contributes to disease-free survival (DFS)
(aHR: 1.31, 95% CI: 1.01–1.71)
The impact of delay may be smaller in HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer patients
Delayed PORT increases the local recurrence rate (LRR), whereas delayed PORT reduces the local recurrence rate (LR).
No significant impact observed

Personal opinion: The importance of starting postoperative radiation therapy within 42 days has been pointed out before, but this study, using larger data and the latest analytical methods, reaffirms the validity of the 42-day rule. It also suggests that there is room for flexibility in considering treatment schedules for HPV-positive patients, which may contribute to the realization of personalized medicine.

Relationship with head and neck cancer treatment at our hospital: At our hospital, we place great importance on the timeliness of postoperative radiation therapy, and we strive to start treatment within 6 weeks after surgery.

Paper title: Mobilization of the Maxillary Lateral Buttress to Connect the Infratemporal Fossa and Buccal Space in Sublabial Approaches

point: Removal of the buttress at the junction between the anterior and lateral walls of the maxillary sinus facilitates a transoral vestibular approach to infratemporal fossa tumors.

Personal opinion: It is possible to approach the infratemporal fossa via the oral vestibule without removing the maxillary lateral buttre, but removing it likely improves the operability of surgical instruments.

Relationship with head and neck cancer treatment at our hospital: Our hospital has previously performed transnasal or transoral vestibular surgery for infratemporal fossa tumors in an effort to make the procedure less invasive, and this technique appears to be useful for securing the surgical field when performing combined transnasal and transoral surgery.

magazine: The Laryngoscope, 2024. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/lary.31930

Paper title: Coffee and tea consumption and the risk of head and neck cancer
(Coffee and tea consumption and risk of head and neck cancer)

Update date/part/theme: January 7, 2025/Head and Neck General / Epidemiology

point: Caffeinated coffee
Consuming 4 or more cups per day reduced the overall risk of head and neck cancer by 17%
- Reduces risk of oral cancer by 30% and pharyngeal cancer by 22%
3-4 cups per day reduces risk of hypopharyngeal cancer by 41%
Decaf Coffee
Consuming one or more servings per day reduces the risk of oral cancer by 25%
Black tea
- 29% reduction in risk of hypopharyngeal cancer
Consumption of one or less servings per day reduces the overall risk of head and neck cancer,
Drinking one or more cups per day increases risk of laryngeal cancer by 38%

Personal opinion: These results suggest that the antioxidants contained in coffee and black tea may be useful in preventing head and neck cancer. In particular, while the intake of caffeinated coffee is beneficial, the risk is polarized with the intake of black tea, and further elucidation of the mechanism is necessary.

Relationship with head and neck cancer treatment provided at our hospital: This may be useful as scientific evidence for providing guidance on appropriate coffee intake in the diet.