PDF icon PDF herunterladen
J Neurol Surg B Skull Base 2016; 77(02): 086-095
DOI: 10.1055/s-0036-1571834
Review Article
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Perineural Spread in Noncutaneous Head and Neck Cancer: New Insights into an Old Problem

Moran Amit
1   The Laboratory for Applied Cancer Research, Rambam Healthcare Campus, Clinical Research Institute at Rambam, Rappaport Institute of Medicine and Research, The Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
2   The Head and Neck Center, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Rambam Healthcare Campus, Clinical Research Institute at Rambam, Rappaport Institute of Medicine and Research, The Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
,
Ayelet Eran
3   Department of Radiology, Rambam Healthcare Campus, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
,
Salem Billan
4   Department of Oncology, Rambam Healthcare Campus, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
,
Eran Fridman
1   The Laboratory for Applied Cancer Research, Rambam Healthcare Campus, Clinical Research Institute at Rambam, Rappaport Institute of Medicine and Research, The Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
2   The Head and Neck Center, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Rambam Healthcare Campus, Clinical Research Institute at Rambam, Rappaport Institute of Medicine and Research, The Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
,
Shorook Na'ara
1   The Laboratory for Applied Cancer Research, Rambam Healthcare Campus, Clinical Research Institute at Rambam, Rappaport Institute of Medicine and Research, The Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
2   The Head and Neck Center, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Rambam Healthcare Campus, Clinical Research Institute at Rambam, Rappaport Institute of Medicine and Research, The Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
,
Tomer Charas
4   Department of Oncology, Rambam Healthcare Campus, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
,
Ziv Gil
1   The Laboratory for Applied Cancer Research, Rambam Healthcare Campus, Clinical Research Institute at Rambam, Rappaport Institute of Medicine and Research, The Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
2   The Head and Neck Center, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Rambam Healthcare Campus, Clinical Research Institute at Rambam, Rappaport Institute of Medicine and Research, The Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
› Institutsangaben
Weitere Informationen

Publikationsverlauf

Publikationsdatum:
26. Februar 2016 (online)

Auch verfügbar aufMedOne
   Lizenzen und Reprints
Preview

Abstract

Head and neck malignancies have the propensity to invade nerves. Perineural tumor invasion is common, with some series reporting rates of 30 to 100%. Squamous cell carcinoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma are the most commonly involved tumors. The most commonly involved nerves are the trigeminal (cranial nerve [CN] V) and facial (CN VII) and their branches. Neural spread away from a tumor is encountered less often and usually causes specific symptoms such as pain, muscle weakness, and atrophy, depending on the involved nerves. While clinical symptoms and physical examination may suggest the presence of neural invasion, specific imaging modalities such as fat-suppressed T1-weighted magnetic resonance images, should be utilized to identify perineural tumor spread in its early phases. Perineural tumor spread should be considered and addressed in the treatment planning of patients with head and neck or skull base cancers as it can influence the extent of surgery, and the dosage and fields of radiation therapy. In the current review, we discuss the clinical course of perineural tumor spread and its therapeutic implications.

Keywords

adenoid cystic carcinoma - squamous cell carcinoma - survival - neural - base of skull - head and neck cancer