Otolaryngology Commons^™

Multi-Level Disparities In Survival Among Patients Diagnosed With Oral Cavity Cancer In Texas Between 1995 And 2020, Guillermo A Tortolero, Erich M Sturgis, Jose-Miguel Yamal, Melissa F Peskin, Cici Bauer, Caitlin C Murphy

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Multi-level factors, including demographic and neighborhood social conditions, related to disparities in oral cavity cancer (OCC) are not fully understood. We examined the association between these factors and survival outcomes among patients diagnosed with OCC.

Methods: We identified 14,416 patients diagnosed with OCC from 1995 to 2020 using population-based data from the Texas Cancer Registry. Neighborhood-level social vulnerability was measured using the 2010 US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Neighborhood Social Vulnerability Index (CDC-SVI). We examined race and ethnicity, CDC-SVI (as sample-based quintiles), and their joint effects with survival outcomes.

Results: Five-year survival probability was 38.6% (95% CI: …

Quantitative Imaging Of Pyruvate Metabolism In A Patient With Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer, James A Bankson, Joshua S Niedzielski, Collin J Harlan, Yunyun Chen, Christopher M Walker, Philip L Lorenzi, Lin Tan, Vikas Kundra, Matthew E Merritt, Mukundan Ragavan, Dawid Schellingerhout, Renjie He, Yao Ding, Sahana Datar, Qing Wang, Christine B Peterson, Clifton D Fuller, Vlad C Sandulache, Stephen Y Lai

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: Magnetic resonance imaging using hyperpolarized (HP) [1-13C]-pyruvate enables assessment of pyruvate metabolism in vivo and offers new insight into metabolic changes in response to cancer therapy. Widely used semi-quantitative metrics of pyruvate metabolism can be affected by physiological factors that are extrinsic to intracellular metabolism. A validated pharmacokinetic (PK) model for analysis of intracellular pyruvate metabolism is needed to enhance the accuracy of quantitative metrics and clinical translation of metabolic MRI using HP pyruvate.

Methods: A PK model with two physical compartments and two chemical pools was developed to analyze the conversion of labeled pyruvate into lactate in vitro. …

Clinical Features And Dental Pathologies In Maxillary Sinus Fungal Balls And Odontogenic Sinusitis, Eunice Im, Lane Donaldson, Avraham Adelman, Nithin D Adappa, Yi-Wei Chen, Nikita Chapurin, Jennifer E Douglas, Glen E D'Souza, Jacob Eide, Maria Espinosa, Chia-Hsiang Fu, Meha G Fox, Rohit Garg, Edward C Kuan, Michael A Kohanski, Marta Kwiatkowska, Kevin Li, Derek H Liu, Tran Bao Locke, Chih-Feng Lin, Chadi Makary, Alice Ottavi, Peter Papagiannopoulos, James N Palmer, Charles C L Tong, Bobby A Tajudeen, Sanjena Venkatesh, Kimberly Wei, Frederick Yoo, Alison J Yu, Jun Jin, Alberto M Saibene, John R Craig

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: While maxillary sinus fungal balls (MSFB) can be associated with odontogenic conditions (MSFBO), MSFBO clinical and dental features have not been compared to odontogenic sinusitis (ODS). This multicenter study aimed to compare characteristics of MSFB, MSFBO, and ODS.

Methods: A multicenter international retrospective cohort study was conducted on adults with MSFBs and ODS who underwent sinus surgery. First in MSFBs, it was determined whether different dental conditions were more likely in FB versus non-FB sides. Second, clinical features and dental pathologies were compared between MSFBO and ODS. For analyses, dental conditions were considered individually and as two groups: infectious …

Social Determinants As Pathways In Disparities In Oral Cavity Cancer Stage At Diagnosis: A Registry-Based Analysis From 2010–2020, Guillermo A Tortolero, Erich M Sturgis, Itunu O Sokale, Abiodun Oluyomi, Kristina R Dahlstrom, Aaron P Thrift

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: Racial and ethnic differences in oral cavity cancer (OCC) stage at diagnosis are substantial, but the reasons remain unclear. We assessed insurance status and social neighborhood factors as potential pathways.

Methods: Using the Texas Cancer Registry, we identified adults diagnosed with OCC between 2010 and 2020. We examined the crude and multivariable associations of race and ethnicity, insurance status, and social neighborhood factors with stage at diagnosis. We investigated the mediating effects of insurance status and neighborhood-level social factors on racial and ethnic differences in stage at diagnosis using four-way decomposition with modified Poisson regression and robust standard errors. …

Targeted Inhibition Of Atr Kinase Promotes Antitumor Immunity In Hnscc Through Enhanced Sting Activation And T Cell Function, Fabio Hb Da Costa, Mutsuki Kawabe, Tsung-You Tsai, Kento Okamoto, Mason D Bartels, Sofia Cortes, Ratna Veeramachaneni, Roberto Rangel, Mitchell J Frederick, Vlad C Sandulache, Andrew G Sikora, Jeffrey N Myers, Abdullah A Osman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: Oral cavity head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) represents a major global health burden, with over 40,000 new cases annually in the United States and >500,000 worldwide. Despite advances in surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, overall survival rates have remained largely stagnant over the past three decades, and over half of patients ultimately die from the disease. Although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have improved outcomes for a subset of patients with recurrent or metastatic HNSCC, the majority gain limited benefit. Thus, novel therapeutic strategies that enhance responses to immunotherapy are urgently needed. The ATR-CHK1 signaling pathway has …

Notch1 Acts As A Tumor Suppressor That Induces Early Differentiation In Head And Neck Cancer, Chenfei Huang, Shhyam Moorthy, Qiuli Li, Kazi M Ahmed, Kalil Saab, Defeng Deng, Jiping Wang, Xiayu Rao, Jiexin Zhang, Yuanxin Xi, Jing Wang, Zhiyi Liu, Noriaki Tanaka, David A Wheeler, Eve Shinbrot, Rami Saade, Curtis R Pickering, Tong-Xin Xie, Adel K El-Naggar, Abdullah A Osman, Kunal Rai, Patrick A Zweidler-Mckay, John V Heymach, Lauren A Byers, Faye M Johnson, Vlad C Sandulache, Jeffrey N Myers, Pedram Yadollahi, Mitchell J Frederick

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Inactivating NOTCH1 mutations in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) were described over a decade ago, suggesting a tumor suppressor function - unlike its oncogenic role in other tumors. Today, much debate persists regarding a putative oncogenic role in HNSCC as well, with reports that NOTCH1 signaling drives tumor growth and a cancer stem cell (CSC) phenotype. In this work, comprehensive experiments unequivocally demonstrate that NOTCH1 is a tumor suppressor in HNSCC regardless of mutation or activation status and that it reduces CSC frequency. We developed a signature of NOTCH1 activation showing the pathway is associated with very early …

Targeted Suppression Of Spp1 Inhibits Tumor Invasion And Metastasis In Nrf2 Hyperactivated Cisplatin Resistant Hnscc, Mutsuki Kawabe, Sujuan Yang, Lorena I Gomez-Bolanos, Shiro Takamatsu, Sylvia Flores, Patricia D Castro, Tsung-You Tsai, Arisa Nishikawa Kaga, Kento Okamoto, Mitchell J Frederick, Vlad C Sandulache, Humam Kadara, Jeffrey N Myers, Abdullah A Osman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Cisplatin remains the standard systemic therapy for the definitive treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), however, resistance to cisplatin continues to be a major barrier to effective treatment, particularly in tumors with NRF2 hyperactivation. Recent studies identify secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1/osteopontin) as a key NRF2 target frequently overexpressed in cancers, where it drives aggressive tumor behavior, metastasis, chemoresistance, and, in some cases, immune suppression. Our recent data highlight SPP1 as one of the top 10 NRF2-upregulated genes in cisplatin-resistant HNSCC. However, its specific role in therapy resistance and metastasis in HNSCC remains unclear. Here, we investigate …

Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Discourse And Sentiment On Reddit Before And After Covid-19: Mixed Methods Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study, Marcin Marciniak, Sean A Setzen, Deeya Bhattacharya, Jamie Masliah, Robin Powszok, Erich M Sturgis, Vanessa C Stubbs, Mihir K Bhayani

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted virus that causes various oropharyngeal and anogenital cancers. The HPV vaccine provides protection against several strains of HPV and is a key preventative tool against HPV-related cancers; however, vaccination rates remain suboptimal in the United States due to variable state mandates and misperceptions of vaccine efficacy and risks. As social media becomes an increasingly popular avenue for health discussions, platforms such as Reddit offer opportunities to understand public vaccine discourse, particularly among underrepresented groups. Furthermore, vaccine hesitancy and mistrust generally increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, potentially impacting HPV vaccination rates.

Objective: This …

Cohort Study Of Opioid Utilization In Post-Tonsillectomy Pediatric Patients, Sainiteesh Maddineni, Varun Vendra, Hareem Khan, Noor Ali, Tulio Valdez, Anna Messner, Iram Ahmad

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: Prospective observational cohort study at a tertiary care academic center to evaluate the post-operative use of oxycodone in pediatric tonsillectomy patients and caregiver knowledge of opioid disposal.

Methods: Pediatric patients 6-18 years old undergoing tonsillectomy were enrolled. Patients were excluded if they required prolonged inpatient care, had a history of organ transplantation, chronic pain or narcotic use, congenital or chromosomal disorders, inability to take acetaminophen or ibuprofen, and other significant medical diagnoses that could potentially alter postoperative pain management. All patients were prescribed a standard amount of oxycodone to be used for breakthrough pain in addition to ibuprofen and …

Protecting Minors From Medical Malpractice Act: Implications For Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Shiven Sharma, Margo K Mckenna, Julina Ongkasuwan, Michael J Brenner

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Optical Coherence Tomography As An Emerging Technique For Identifying Pediatric Middle Ear Effusion, Roger Neuberger, Jeffrey Carter, Adriana Dives, Ana Sofia C Ibarrola, Maritsa Ixba, Elton Lambert, Yi-Chun Liu, Anna H Messner

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: Acute otitis media (AOM) and otitis media with effusion (OME) rely on accurate characterization of middle ear effusion (MEE). Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a potential modality for noninvasive analysis of MEE, thereby assisting with otitis media diagnosis. This study aims to compare the diagnostic performance of OCT with otoscopy and tympanometry in pediatric patients.

Methods: A prospective convenience sample of 164 pediatric patients aged 6 months to 12 years was recruited from two tertiary care pediatric otolaryngology clinics. During their visit, each child underwent otoscopy, tympanometry, and OCT evaluation. Scans were reviewed by both a fellowship-trained pediatric otolaryngologist …

Quality Of Life In Patients With P16+ Oropharyngeal Cancer Receiving Accelerated Radiation Therapy With Either Cisplatin Or Cetuximab In The Nrg/Rtog 1016 Randomized Controlled Trial, Jolie Ringash, Pedro A Torres-Saavedra, Maura L Gillison, Jimmy J Caudell, David J Adelstein, Paul M Harari, Erich M Sturgis, Ethan Basch, Shlomo A Koyfman, Greg A Krempl, Dukagjin M Blakaj, James Edward Bates, Thomas J Galloway, Christopher U Jones, Beth M Beadle, Jonathan Harris, Quynh-Thu Le, Sue S Yom, Benjamin Movsas

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: NRG/RTOG 1016 was a phase III randomized noninferiority de-escalation trial comparing cetuximab versus cisplatin, concurrent with accelerated radiation 70 Gy/6 weeks, in p16+ oropharyngeal cancer. Quality of life (QOL) was a secondary endpoint.

Methods and materials: Eligible/consenting patients among the first 400 entered completed the EORTC QLQ-C30/H&N35 at baseline, end of treatment, 3, 6, and 12 months posttreatment, to provide 90% power to detect an effect size of 0.5 in the between-arm change in QOL scores from baseline to 6 months. We report completion, responsiveness, and patterns over time across domains between arms, considering a difference of >10 points …

How Does Frailty Impact Peri-Operative And Speech Recognition Outcomes For Cochlear Implants In Veterans?, Kaitlyn A Brooks, Benjamin D Lovin, Alex D Sweeney, Angela S Peng, Nathan R Lindquist

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: To investigate the association of frailty with post-cochlear implant (CI) admission, morbidity, and CI-aided word recognition outcomes in veterans.

Study design: Retrospective cohort.

Setting: Single-institution tertiary care Veterans Health Administration (VHA) hospital.

Methods: Veterans who underwent cochlear implantation between 1998 to 2024 were included. The Modified 5-Item Frailty Index (mFI-5) score was used to characterize preoperative frailty. Outcomes of interest were admission from post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), relative risk (RR) of admission among frail patients, and relationship between frailty and post-CI word recognition score (WRS). Ordinal data were analyzed via logistic regression and Chi square tests; a multivariate linear …

Multi-Institutional Modified Delphi For Genomics In Expert Consensus Survey Of Genomic Testing For Anterior Skull Base Malignancies, Anirudh Saraswathula, Shreya Sriram, Corinna Levine, Nyall R London, Shirley Y Su, Mathew Geltzeiler, Sanjeet V Rangarajan, Ian Witterick, Brian Thorp, Kathleen Kelly Gallagher, Kenneth Byrd, Ricardo Carrau, Waleed Abuzeid, Eric Wang, Carl Snyderman, Erin L Mckean

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: The use of genomic testing for patients with anterior skull base malignancies has grown dramatically. There are no clear guidelines on indications for testing. As the literature on the subject is still in early stages, there is a need for expert consensus. We conducted a modified Delphi expert consensus process with high-volume North American cranial base surgical programs.

Design setting participants: A modified Delphi consensus approach was used, following the method laid out by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and included 13 high-volume care centers. An otolaryngologist was appointed at each location to serve as the …

Professionalism In Practice: A Novel Approach To Integrating Small Doses Of Case-Based Professionalism Education Into Monthly Grand Rounds., Allison H Taylor, Andrew Caruso, Kelley Arredondo, Ellen M Friedman, Stacey R Rose

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Professionalism is a critical construct across the health professions, though learners and faculty report feeling underprepared to navigate difficult situations; education in professionalism is challenged by the absence of a universal definition, time constraints due to overcrowded curricula, and the lack of consistent messaging to learners and faculty.

Methods: Professionalism in Practice (PiP) was developed to provide small doses (∼5 minutes) of case-based professionalism education as part of an existing educational forum (Grand Rounds) to optimize attendance of both learners and faculty. Each vignette highlighted a common professionalism challenge and was aligned with an AAMC professional competency. Sessions were …

Transoral Robotic-Assisted Removal Of A Submucosal Pyriform Sinus Foreign Body, Elisabeth Wenneker, Rebecca Doctor, Ari Schuman, Adam Szymanowski, Ray Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Submucosal foreign bodies of the medial pyriform sinus represent a challenge given limited visualization and difficult retraction with endoscopic approaches, and risk of injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve with open approaches. Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) offers improved visualization and multiple working arms to facilitate retraction. We present a novel case utilizing the Da Vinci SP system for removal of an embedded fishbone of the medial pyriform sinus.

Results: An 84-year-old woman presented with five days of odynophagia and globus sensation after swallowing a fish bone. Non-contrast computed tomography scan revealed a 3.0 cm submucosal object within the post-cricoid …

Association Of Preoperative Nocturnal Hypoxaemia Nadir And Fentanyl Ventilatory Sensitivity In Children With Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Undergoing General Anaesthesia: A Multicentre Clinical Cohort Study, Adam C Adler, Elaina E Lin, Anna H Messner, Tara L Rosenberg, Shelly Pecorella, Aidan Keleghan, Spencer Faircloth, T Wesley Templeton, Lynnette Harris, Sabina A Khan, Greesha S Pednekar, Duc T Nguyen, Arvind Chandrakantan, Britta S Von Ungern-Sternberg

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) has been thought to increase the risk of respiratory depression from opioids. The primary aim of this study was to assess whether preoperative hypoxaemia by sleep study pulse oximetry imparts greater opioid sensitivity.

Methods: A multicentre observational cohort study with in-cohort dose randomisation was performed in children 2-8 yr of age with OSA undergoing adenotonsillectomy. Ninety patients were assigned to one of two Spo2 cohorts by preoperative sleep study Spo2 nadir of < or ≥85% to receive fentanyl 1.0 or 1.5 μg kg-1 (maximum 25 μg) after sevoflurane induction. The primary outcome was the extent of opioid-induced central ventilatory depression over time by Spo2 status as defined by the differences in tidal volume, respiratory rate, end-tidal CO2, and minute ventilation for 10 min after fentanyl administration when compared with pre-fentanyl baseline values. Secondary outcomes included assessment of body mass index, fentanyl dose, sex, age, and race on opioid-induced central ventilatory depression. Intention-to-treat and per protocol analysis were performed.

Results: Ninety patients underwent in-cohort randomisation (Spo2 < 85%; n=47 and Spo2 ≥85%; n=43). Final per protocol analysis included 73 subjects, fentanyl 1.0 μg kg-1 (Spo2 < 85%; n=36 and Spo2 ≥85%; n=37) and 15 subjects, fentanyl 1.5 μg kg-1 (Spo2 < 85%; n=9 and Spo2 ≥85%; n=6). Multivariable mixed effect model for the primary outcomes (tidal volume, respiratory rate, end-tidal CO2, and minute ventilation) from baseline to 10 min (as % change per minute) were not different between groups by Spo2 nadir (< or ≥85%) and fentanyl dose for the intention-to-treat and per protocol analyses.

Conclusions: Single-dose fentanyl ventilatory effects in paediatric OSA patients during sevoflurane anaesthesia were not associated with …

Predictors Of Decannulation Success In Tracheostomy: A 10-Year Analysis Of The Global Tracheostomy Collaborative Database, Charissa J Zaga, Carly E Milliren, Brendan A Mcgrath, Christina J Yang, Bradley A Schiff, Stephen J Warrillow, Jennifer K Henningfeld, Prudence A Gregson, Joshua R Bedwell, Karen M Beaudet, Michael J Brenner, Vinciya Pandian

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: Decannulation is a critical milestone in functional recovery after tracheostomy, but standardized guidelines are lacking. This study examined factors associated with tracheostomy decannulation success, comparing hospital utilization, adverse events, and survival outcomes between decannulated and non-decannulated patients.

Study design: Retrospective, observational study.

Setting: Data were collected from 25 hospitals participating in the Global Tracheostomy Collaborative (GTC) in the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

Methods: Prospectively collected data from adult patients who underwent tracheostomy from 2013 to 2022 were analyzed. Outcomes included decannulation success, hospital utilization metrics (intensive care unit [ICU] admissions, mechanical ventilation use, tracheostomy duration, and …

Microtia, Peng You, Yi-Chun Liu, Caitlin Symonette

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Steroids For Pediatric Adenotonsillectomy Pain-A Prospective Multicenter Randomized Trial, Kevin D Pereira, Wiktoria A Gocal, Anna V Borodianski, Mary E Williamson, Hengameh K Behzadpour, Sonal Saraiya, Diego A Preciado, Amal Isaiah

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: To compare postoperative caregiver-reported pain control of two steroid regimens following pediatric adenotonsillectomy. Secondary objectives assessed differences in analgesic use, return to normal diet, caregiver calls, adverse effects, and emergency room (ER) visits.

Study design: Prospective randomized pragmatic trial.

Setting: Three academic tertiary care children's hospitals.

Methods: Healthy children aged 3 to 10 undergoing adenotonsillectomy were recruited and randomly assigned to receive either 0.6 mg/kg dexamethasone on postoperative day 3 or prednisolone 0.5 mg/kg days 1 to 3. Both groups continued standard weight-based regimens of acetaminophen and ibuprofen. A blinded research team member performed postoperative telephone surveys using the …

Measuring The Impact Of A Delay In Care On Pediatric Otolaryngologic Surgery Completion, Geethanjeli N Mahendran, Ching Siong Tey, Mary Frances Musso, Grace Shebha Anand, Jeffrey Larson, Mitesh Mehta, Lara Reichert, Kara Prickett, Nikhila Pinnapureddy Raol

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: To determine if postponement of elective pediatric otorhinolaryngology surgeries results in a change in overall healthcare utilization and if there is any commensurate impact on disease progression.

Methods: We identified patients ≤18 years of age whose surgeries were postponed at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic-related shutdown. We then tracked patients' rate of and patterns of rescheduling surgery. Surveys were also sent to caregivers to better characterize his/her decision regarding moving forward with his/her child's surgery during COVID-19.

Results: A total of 1915 pediatric patients had elective surgeries canceled, of which 992 (51.8%) were rescheduled within 4 months. No …

Speech Delay And Hearing Rehabilitation Disparities In Children With Hearing Loss, Lacey C Magee, Malek Bouzaher, Mihika Thapliyal, Yi-Chun Liu, Samantha Anne

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: To investigate the influence of race and insurance type on speech delay rates and hearing rehabilitation access in children with bilateral hearing loss (HL).

Study design: Retrospective cross-sectional study of pediatric patients with bilateral HL who received cochlear implants (CIs) or hearing aids (HAs).

Setting: This study used the national Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) database to identify patients with HL across 52 tertiary care pediatric hospitals in the United States.

Methods: Data collected included demographics, CI/HA use, speech delay/disorders, and type of insurance coverage.

Results: This study identified 18,422 patients with bilateral HL (40.1% female, 66.3% white, 66.3% …

Artificial Intelligence-Based Virtual Staining Platform For Identifying Tumor-Associated Macrophages From Hematoxylin And Eosin-Stained Images, Arpit Aggarwal, Mayukhmala Jana, Amritpal Singh, Tanmoy Dam, Himanshu Maurya, Tilak Pathak, Sandra Orsulic, Kailin Yang, Deborah Chute, Justin A Bishop, Farhoud Faraji, Wade M Thorstad, Shlomo Koyfman, Scott Steward, Qiuying Shi, Vlad Sandulache, Nabil F Saba, James S Lewis, Germán Corredor, Anant Madabhushi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Virtual staining is an artificial intelligence-based approach that transforms pathology images between stain types, such as hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) to immunohistochemistry (IHC), providing a tissue-preserving and efficient alternative to traditional IHC staining. However, existing methods for translating H&E to virtual IHC often fail to generate images of sufficient quality for accurately delineating cell nuclei and IHC+ regions. To address these limitations, we introduce VISTA, an artificial intelligence-based virtual staining platform designed to translate H&E into virtual IHC.

Methods: We applied VISTA to identify M2-subtype tumor-associated macrophages (M2-TAMs) in H&E images from 968 patients with HPV+ oropharyngeal squamous cell …

Multidisciplinary Team Care In Plastic Surgery: Vascular Anomalies, Josephine L Schmidt, Vamsi C Mohan, Richard Appel, Tara L Rosenberg, Jessica A Ching

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Vascular anomalies consist of a wide range of diagnoses relating to abnormal vasculature. These lesions can affect a variety of anatomical structures, requiring the expertise of numerous specialists. Over the past few decades, the formation of multidisciplinary vascular anomalies clinics has allowed patients to meet multiple providers within the same clinic visit, leading to improved communication between patients and providers. Furthermore, diagnostic and treatment plans are discussed in multidisciplinary conferences allowing for enhanced diagnostic accuracy and more comprehensive management plans. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the multidisciplinary management of vascular anomalies, including descriptions of …

Unmet Supportive Care Needs In Patients With Advanced Cancer And Its Impact On Distress, Kayla W Miranda, Benjamin L Musher, Hoda J Badr

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: Patients with advanced cancer endure considerable physical and emotional distress without sufficient supportive care. This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between cancer-related symptoms, supportive care needs, and distress levels in patients with advanced lung, head and neck, or gastrointestinal cancers.

Methods: 158 patients were assessed for symptom burden and distress levels using the M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI) and unmet needs using the Supportive Care Needs Survey (SCNS-34) within one month of treatment initiation. Pearson correlations and multiple regression analyses were used to explore associations between supportive care needs and distress.

Results: Distress levels were moderate across the study …

International Multispecialty Expert Physician Preoperative Identification Of Extranodal Extension In Patients With Oropharyngeal Cancer Using Computed Tomography: Prospective Blinded Human Inter-Observer Performance Evaluation, Onur Sahin, Serageldin Kamel, Kareem A Wahid, Cem Dede, Nicolette Taku, Renjie He, Mohamed A Naser, Christina S Sharafi, Antti Mäkitie, Benjamin H Kann, Kimmo Kaski, Jaakko Sahlsten, Joel Jaskari, Moran Amit, Gregory M Chronowski, Eduardo M Diaz, Adam S Garden, Ryan P Goepfert, Jeffrey P Guenette, G Brandon Gunn, Jussi Hirvonen, Frank Hoebers, Katherine A Hutcheson, Nandita Guha-Thakurta, Jason Johnson, Diana Kaya, Shekhar D Khanpara, Kristofer Nyman, Stephen Y Lai, Miriam Lango, Kim O Learned, Anna Lee, Carol M Lewis, Anastasios Maniakas, Amy C Moreno, Jeffrey N Myers, Jack Phan, Kristen B Pytynia, David I Rosenthal, Vlad C Sandulache, Dawid Schellingerhout, Shalin J Shah, Andrew G Sikora, Abdallah S R Mohamed, Melissa M Chen, Clifton D Fuller, Multidisciplinary Oropharyngeal Cancer Extra‐Nodal Extension (Opc Ene) Assessment Working Group

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Pathologic extranodal extension (pENE) is a crucial prognostic factor in oropharyngeal cancer (OPC), but determining pENE from imaging has high inter-observer variability. The role of clinician specialty in the accuracy of imaging-detected extranodal extension (iENE) remains unclear. The purpose of this study is to assess the influence of clinician specialty on the accuracy of preoperative iENE detection in human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive OPC using computed tomography (CT) imaging.

Methods: This prospective observational study evaluated pretherapy CT images from 24 HPV-positive OPC patients (30 scans, including duplicates). Thirty-four expert observers (11 radiologists, 12 surgeons, 11 radiation oncologists) assessed iENE and reported …

Fruits Of The Professional Educator Appreciation And Recognition (Pear) Awards: Learning What Students Value In Their Medical Educators, Madeline Tomlinson, Kristiana Nasto, Kevin Gosselin, Ellen M Friedman, Anne Gill, Stacey Rose

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: The Professional Educator Appreciation and Recognition (PEAR) awards program was created by students at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) in 2020 to recognize exemplary educators. We reviewed our 3-year experience of this initiative to identify characteristics of award-winning educators, and to assess the award's impact.

Materials and methods: We reviewed the title, department, and clinical affiliation of award winners. Using ChatGPT, we qualitatively analyzed de-identified nomination narratives to identify themes of educator characteristics most valued by students. Following refinement by the study team, each award was then assigned one or more themes. Unsolicited thank-you emails were reviewed to consider …

Key Decision-Making Factors In Pediatric Microtia Repair, Maya Guhan, Grace Anand, Yi-Chun Liu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

American Cochlear Implant Alliance Position Statement On Newborn Congenital Cytomegalovirus Screening, Megan Honor Pesch, Kevin David Brown, Amy L Birath, Gail J Demmler-Harrison, Cailtin Sapp, Anne Morgan Selleck, Alex D Sweeney

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

It is estimated that 1 in every 200 US newborns has congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV). Delayed identification of cCMV in newborns precludes timely intervention to mitigate sequelae of the infection such as hearing loss and other neurological complications. Newborn testing for cCMV enables appropriate diagnosis and intervention by multidisciplinary teams to properly manage the immediate sequelae of cCMV, avoid unnecessary additional testing that can result from delayed diagnosis, and monitor for future complications. It is the position of the American Cochlear Implant Alliance, the National CMV Foundation, and the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery that universal newborn cCMV screening …

Polygenic Score For Clinicopathologic Features And Survival Outcomes In Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma, Sophie Li, Guibin Zheng, Li Xu, Maitrayee Goswami, Mark E Zafereo, Steven I Sherman, Guojun Li, Erich M Sturgis, Jennifer R Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Importance: Genome-wide association studies have identified germline variants associated with the development of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) that can be used to construct a polygenic score (PGS). It is important to determine whether patients with higher germline genetic risk, as summarized using PGS, present with more aggressive disease and/or develop worse clinical outcomes.

Objective: To assess whether germline risk defined by PGS is associated with clinicopathologic features and survival outcomes for patients with PTC.

Design, setting, and participants: This retrospective cohort study included patients with newly diagnosed PTC who presented to The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center for …