BACKGROUND Tobacco use is a risk factor for head and neck cancer, but effects on postoperative outcomes are unclear. METHODS Patients with head and neck cancer (n = 89) were recruited before surgery. We assessed self-reported tobacco use status (never, former, or current) at study entry and recent tobacco exposure via urinary cotinine on surgery day. Outcomes included hospital length of stay ...

Carboplatin is a platinum analogue with activity reported in head and neck cancer. We conducted a phase II trial with 14 patients who had recurrent head and neck cancer. They were treated with carboplatin 300 mg/m2 intravenously (I.V.) and bleomycin 30 units I.V. every 4 weeks. No responses were observed in this group of patients. Dose intensity of carboplatin administration may be an important...

Head and neck cancer is traditionally thought of as being a disease associated with alcohol and tobacco abuse and deprivation. It was the fourth most common cancer in males in Scotland in 2000 and just over 1,000 cases were diagnosed in 2007. As smoking becomes less prevalent, a fall in the incidence of head and neck cancer could be anticipated; however, increasing evidence of other aetiologica...

Head and neck cancer is becoming a more recognizable pathology to the general population and dentists. The modes of treatment include surgery and/or radiation therapy. Pretreatment dental assessment should be provided for these patients before they undergo radiation therapy. There are occasions, however, whereby head and neck cancer patients are not prepared optimally and, as a result, they suc...

BACKGROUND The role of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in cancer treatment is controversial. The aim of the study was to assess whether CAM use was associated with a delay in the initiation of conventional cancer treatment for head and neck cancer. METHODS CAM usage data were collected by mailed questionnaire for 149 incident head and neck cancer patients who were identified thro...

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether cannabis smoking increases the risk of head and neck cancer. DESIGN Case-control study. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Cases of head and neck cancer < or =55 years identified from hospital databases and the Cancer Registry, and controls randomly selected from the electoral roll completed interviewer-administered questionnaires. Logistic regression was used to estimate...

In the USA, increasing attention is being paid to adopting a value-based framework for measuring and ultimately improving health care delivery. Value is defined as the benefit achieved relative to costs. The numerator of the value equation includes quality of care and outcomes achieved. The denominator includes costs, both financial costs and harms of treatment. Herein, we describe these elemen...

BACKGROUND Because survival differences between surgical and nonsurgical treatment for head and neck cancer (HNC) are hard to detect, increasing focus has been placed on quality of life (QOL) differences after treatment. Utility assessment provides insight into QOL. Evidence suggests that a patient's comfort with numerical concepts ("numeracy") may influence utility measures. We hypothesize tha...

Ruth Bower talks to Francesca Lake, Managing Editor: Ruth is currently researching head and neck cancer chemoradiotherapy regimens utilizing microfluidic technology to maintain and interrogate biopsies. Tissue response is investigated using a variety of whole tissue and cellular analytical techniques with a view toward personalized medicine. She is currently pursuing her PhD within the head and...