Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oropharynx
Conditions
Brief summary
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a cancer that originates from the cells lining the body and can spread into the lymph glands and beyond. Some patients first present with an SCC which has moved to the lymph glands of the neck. Clinical examination and imaging investigations are performed to try and identify the site where the cancer has originated. However, if no original site can be identified, then the investigators call these 'cancers of an unknown primary' (CUP) of the head and neck. One region where these cancers could have originated from is the oropharynx. There are two areas in the oropharynx were cancers commonly arise. One area is the palatine tonsils, which can be removed for analysis with an operation called tonsillectomy. The other area is the tissue lining the back of the tongue, known as the tongue base. A relatively new surgical technique called 'tongue base mucosectomy' (TBM) allows removal of this tissue to see if the primary cancer is contained within it. This study will then use a histological method called 'step serial sectioning' (SSS) to look in more detail at the tonsils and tongue base, hoping to increase the detection rate of the primary cancer. Centres performing TBM will be asked to participate. Patients will be asked to consent to their tissue being used for SSS after it has undergone conventional histology. Anonymised samples will be sent to a central laboratory in Newcastle for processing. Other anonymised data regarding the patients' diagnosis and care will be collated. Patients will be asked to complete questionnaires regarding pain and swallowing recovery following surgery. A smaller cohort of patients will also be interviewed as part of a qualitative research process to establish their views on CUP and the acceptability of the above treatment.
Interventions
DIAGNOSTIC_TESTStep serial sectioning histological processing
Step serial sectioning histological processing
Sponsors
Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
Oracle Cancer Trust
Institute of Cancer Research, United Kingdom
Study design
Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
16 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Aged 16 or over * Both sexes * Cervical metastatic SCC, confirmed with cytology or biopsy, undergoing TBM for identification of primary site
Exclusion criteria
* Primary site identified by any means prior to being indicated for TBM * Patients undergoing targeted biopsies or resections * Patients known to have a history of previous H\&N cancers * Patients known to have undergone previous radiation to the H\&N region
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Primary Cancers Identified | Within one year of surgery | Cancer identified in tonsil and tongue base resections |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pain after tongue base mucosectomy | week 0 , 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 12 weeks, 26 weeks and 52 weeks | Numeric Pain Scale. A person rates their pain on a scale of 0 to 10 |
| Swallow function after tongue base mucosectomy | week 0 , 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 12 weeks, 26 weeks and 52 weeks | Patients will be given the MDADI questionnaire in which they will be asked a series of questions with the following possible answers: completely agree, agree, uncertain, disagree, completely disagree |
Countries
United Kingdom
Outcome results
None listed