Jai Prakash Agarwal

Bio: Jai Prakash Agarwal is an academic researcher from Tata Memorial Hospital. The author has contributed to research in topics: Medicine & Head and neck cancer. The author has an hindex of 30, co-authored 158 publications receiving 4085 citations. Previous affiliations of Jai Prakash Agarwal include Homi Bhabha National Institute.

Elective versus Therapeutic Neck Dissection in Node-Negative Oral Cancer

Abstract: BackgroundWhether patients with early-stage oral cancers should be treated with elective neck dissection at the time of the primary surgery or with therapeutic neck dissection after nodal relapse has been a matter of debate. MethodsIn this prospective, randomized, controlled trial, we evaluated the effect on survival of elective node dissection (ipsilateral neck dissection at the time of the primary surgery) versus therapeutic node dissection (watchful waiting followed by neck dissection for nodal relapse) in patients with lateralized stage T1 or T2 oral squamous-cell carcinomas. Primary and secondary end points were overall survival and disease-free survival, respectively. ResultsBetween 2004 and 2014, a total of 596 patients were enrolled. As prespecified by the data and safety monitoring committee, this report summarizes results for the first 500 patients (245 in the elective-surgery group and 255 in the therapeutic-surgery group), with a median follow-up of 39 months. There were 81 recurrences and 50 ...

Diagnostic performance of post-treatment FDG PET or FDG PET/CT imaging in head and neck cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract: Our objective was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies assessing the diagnostic performance of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) with or without computed tomography (CT) in post-treatment response assessment and/or surveillance imaging of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). A systematic search of the indexed medical literature was done using appropriate keywords to identify relevant studies. Metrics of diagnostic test accuracy, viz. sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were extracted from individual studies and combined using a random effects model to yield weighted mean pooled estimates with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). The impact of timing of post-treatment scan, study quality and advancements in PET technology was explored through meta-regression. A total of 51 studies involving 2,335 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The weighted mean (95% CI) pooled sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of post-treatment FDG PET(CT) for the primary site was 79.9% (73.7–85.2%), 87.5% (85.2–89.5%), 58.6% (52.6–64.5%) and 95.1% (93.5–96.5%), respectively. Similar estimates for the neck were 72.7% (66.6–78.2%), 87.6% (85.7–89.3%), 52.1% (46.6–57.6%) and 94.5% (93.1–95.7%), respectively. Scans done ≥12 weeks after completion of definitive therapy had moderately higher diagnostic accuracy on meta-regression analysis using time as a covariate. The overall diagnostic performance of post-treatment FDG PET(CT) for response assessment and surveillance imaging of HNSCC is good, but its PPV is somewhat suboptimal. Its NPV remains exceptionally high and a negative post-treatment scan is highly suggestive of absence of viable disease that can guide therapeutic decision-making. Timing of post-treatment imaging has a significant, though moderate impact on diagnostic accuracy.

Primary tumor staging for oral cancer and a proposed modification incorporating depth of invasion: An international multicenter retrospective study

Abstract: Importance The current American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system for oral cancer demonstrates wide prognostic variability within each primary tumor stage and provides suboptimal staging and prognostic information for some patients. Objective To determine if a modified staging system for oral cancer that integrates depth of invasion (DOI) into the T categories improves prognostic performance compared with the current AJCC T staging. Design, Setting, and Participants Retrospective analysis of 3149 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma treated with curative intent at 11 comprehensive cancer centers worldwide between 1990 and 2011 with surgery ± adjuvant therapy, with a median follow-up of 40 months. Main Outcomes and Measures We assessed the impact of DOI on disease-specific and overall survival in multivariable Cox proportional hazard models and investigated for institutional heterogeneity using 2-stage random effects meta-analyses. Candidate staging systems were developed after identification of optimal DOI cutpoints within each AJCC T category using the Akaike information criterion (AIC) and likelihood ratio tests. Staging systems were evaluated using the Harrel concordance index (C-index), AIC, and visual inspection for stratification into distinct prognostic categories, with internal validation using bootstrapping techniques. Results The mean and median DOI were 12.9 mm and 10.0 mm, respectively. On multivariable analysis, DOI was a significantly associated with disease-specific survival ( P I 2 = 6.3%; P = .38), and resulted in improved model fit compared with T category alone (lower AIC, P Conclusions and Relevance We propose an improved oral cancer T staging system based on incorporation of DOI that should be considered in future versions of the AJCC staging system after external validation.

Nanotechnology for Multimodal Synergistic Cancer Therapy

Abstract: The complexity, diversity, and heterogeneity of tumors seriously undermine the therapeutic potential of treatment. Therefore, the current trend in clinical research has gradually shifted from a focus on monotherapy to combination therapy for enhanced treatment efficacy. More importantly, the cooperative enhancement interactions between several types of monotherapy contribute to the naissance of multimodal synergistic therapy, which results in remarkable superadditive (namely “1 + 1 > 2”) effects, stronger than any single therapy or their theoretical combination. In this review, state-of-the-art studies concerning recent advances in nanotechnology-mediated multimodal synergistic therapy will be systematically discussed, with an emphasis on the construction of multifunctional nanomaterials for realizing bimodal and trimodal synergistic therapy as well as the intensive exploration of the underlying synergistic mechanisms for explaining the significant improvements in synergistic therapeutic outcome. Furtherm...

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract: Most head and neck cancers are derived from the mucosal epithelium in the oral cavity, pharynx and larynx and are known collectively as head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Oral cavity and larynx cancers are generally associated with tobacco consumption, alcohol abuse or both, whereas pharynx cancers are increasingly attributed to infection with human papillomavirus (HPV), primarily HPV-16. Thus, HNSCC can be separated into HPV-negative and HPV-positive HNSCC. Despite evidence of histological progression from cellular atypia through various degrees of dysplasia, ultimately leading to invasive HNSCC, most patients are diagnosed with late-stage HNSCC without a clinically evident antecedent pre-malignant lesion. Traditional staging of HNSCC using the tumour–node–metastasis system has been supplemented by the 2017 AJCC/UICC staging system, which incorporates additional information relevant to HPV-positive disease. Treatment is generally multimodal, consisting of surgery followed by chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for oral cavity cancers and primary CRT for pharynx and larynx cancers. The EGFR monoclonal antibody cetuximab is generally used in combination with radiation in HPV-negative HNSCC where comorbidities prevent the use of cytotoxic chemotherapy. The FDA approved the immune checkpoint inhibitors pembrolizumab and nivolumab for treatment of recurrent or metastatic HNSCC and pembrolizumab as primary treatment for unresectable disease. Elucidation of the molecular genetic landscape of HNSCC over the past decade has revealed new opportunities for therapeutic intervention. Ongoing efforts aim to integrate our understanding of HNSCC biology and immunobiology to identify predictive biomarkers that will enable delivery of the most effective, least-toxic therapies. Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) originate from the mucosal epithelium in the oral cavity, pharynx and larynx and are commonly associated with viral infection and tobacco use. This Primer provides an overview of the epidemiology, pathogenesis and treatment of HNSCCs of different aetiologies and the effects of the cancer and its treatment on patient quality of life.