MD, PhD Heikki Irjala - UTU Research Portal

Heikki Irjala
MD, PhD

Professor, Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery (Department of Clinical Medicine)

heikki.irjala@utu.fi

Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8

Turku

ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3054-4677

Areas of expertise

Otorhinolaryngology; Head and neck surgery; Cancer research

Biography

2002 PhD thesis "An Immunotherapeutic Approach to Cancer of the Head and Neck"

2009 Specialist in Otorhinolaryngology

2014 Adjunct Professor of Otorhinolaryngology

2015 Specialist in Head and Neck Surgery

2017 Special Competence in Medical Education

Research

Research is focused on cancer of the head and neck including both clinical aspects (quality of life, treatment methods and outcome, diagnostics, etc.) and basic science like cancer immunology and cell trafficking.

Teaching

Clinical lecturer (Otorhinolaryngology) 2012-2015

Personal teacher mentor for medical students from 2012

Supervisor of several PhD students

Publications

1 of 3

Clinical and prognostic significance of emergency MRI findings in neck infections (2021)
- European Radiology
Heikkinen Jaakko, Nurminen Janne, Velhonoja Jarno, Irjala Heikki, Happonen Tatu, Soukka Tero, Mattila Kimmo, Hirvonen Jussi
(A1 Journal article – refereed)
Early surgical intervention enhances recovery of severe pediatric deep neck infection patients (2021)
- International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology
Velhonoja Jarno, Lääveri Meira, Soukka Tero, Hirvonen Jussi, Kinnunen Ilpo, Irjala Heikki
(A1 Journal article – refereed)
Effect of coronavirus disease 2019 on recurrences and follow up of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (2021)
- Journal of Laryngology and Otology
Kytö Eero, Haapio Eeva, Kinnunen Ilpo, Irjala Heikki
(A1 Journal article – refereed)
Impact of deep learning-determined smoking status on mortality of cancer patients: never too late to quit (2021)
- ESMO Open
Karlsson A, Ellonen A, Irjala H, Väliaho V, Mattila K, Nissi L, Kytö E, Kurki S, Ristamäki R, Vihinen P, Laitinen T, Ålgars A, Jyrkkiö S, Minn H, Heervä E
(A1 Journal article – refereed)
Practical aspects of sentinel node biopsy in oral cavity cancer: all nodes that emit a signal are important (2021)
- Acta Oto-laryngologica
Panula Elina, Hirvonen Jussi, Vahlberg Tero, Schrey Aleksi, Irjala Heikki
(A1 Journal article – refereed)
Recurrence of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in relation to high-risk treatment volume (2021)
- Clinical and Translational Radiation Oncology
Nissi Linda, Suilamo Sami, Kytö Eero, Vaittinen Samuli, Irjala Heikki, Minn Heikki
(A1 Journal article – refereed)
Satisfaction of young ENT surgeons with their work. A Finnish national study (2021)
- International Journal of Circumpolar Health
Penttilä Elina, Hannula Samu, Numminen Jura, Irjala Heikki, Selander Tuomas, Parmanne Piitu, Mäkitie Antti
(A1 Journal article – refereed)
T1 glottic laryngeal cancer: the role of routine follow-up visits in detecting local recurrence (2021)
- European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology
Pakkanen Pihla, Ilmarinen Taru, Halme Elina, Irjala Heikki, Koivunen Petri, Pukkila Matti, Ventelä Sami, Hagström Jaana, Aaltonen Leena-Maija
(A1 Journal article – refereed)
Development of a Patient-Centered Functional Outcomes Questionnaire in Head and Neck Cancer (2020)
- JAMA Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Mendez A., Seikaly H., Eurich D., Dzioba A., Aalto D., Osswald M., Harris J.R., O'connell D.A., Lazarus C., Urken M., Likhterov I., Chai R.L., Rauscher E., Buchbinder D., Okay D., Happonen R.P., Kinnunen I., Irjala H., Soukka T., Laine J.; for the Head and Neck Research Network
(A1 Journal article – refereed)
Emergency neck MRI: feasibility and diagnostic accuracy in cases of neck infection (2020)
- Acta Radiologica
Nurminen J, Velhonoja J, Heikkinen J, Happonen T, Nyman M, Irjala H, Soukka T, Mattila K, Hirvonen J
(A1 Journal article – refereed)
Employment status of young otorhinolaryngologists in Finland during a 10-year period (2020)
- International Journal of Circumpolar Health
Elina Penttilä, Samuli Hannula, Jura Numminen, Heikki Irjala, Tuomas Selander, Piitu Parmanne, Antti Mäkitie
(A1 Journal article – refereed)
Histochemical approach for simultaneous detection of ectonucleotidase and alkaline phosphatase activities in tissues (2020) Purinergic Signaling Karolina Losenkova, Marius Paul, Heikki Irjala, Sirpa Jalkanen, Gennady G. Yegutkin
(A3 Book chapter)
Long-term Quality of Life After Treatment of Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (2020)
- Laryngoscope
Ranta P, Kinnunen I, Jouhi L, Vahlberg T, Back LJJ, Halme E, Koivunen P, Autio T, Pukkila M, Irjala H
(A1 Journal article – refereed)
Critical review of the follow-up protocol for head and neck cancer patients (2019)
- Journal of Laryngology and Otology
Kytö E., Haapio E., Minn H., Irjala H.
(A1 Journal article – refereed)
Deep neck space infections: an upward trend and changing characteristics (2019)
- European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology
Jarno Velhonoja, Meira Lääveri, Tero Soukka, Heikki Irjala, Ilpo Kinnunen
(A1 Journal article – refereed)
Epstein-Barr virus and human papillomaviruses as favorable prognostic factors in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A nationwide study in Finland (2019)
- Head and Neck
Miia Ruuskanen, Heikki Irjala, Heikki Minn, Tero Vahlberg, Reija Randen‐Brady, Jaana Hagström, Stina Syrjänen, Ilmo Leivo
(A1 Journal article – refereed)
Expression of toll-like receptors in non-endemic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (2019)
- BMC Cancer
Ruuskanen M, Leivo I, Minn H, Vahlberg T, Haglund C, Hagstrom J, Irjala H
(A1 Journal article – refereed)
Single-Cell Survey of Human Lymphatics Unveils Marked Endothelial Cell Heterogeneity and Mechanisms of Homing for Neutrophils (2019)
- Immunity
Takeda A, Hollmén M, Dermadi D, Pan J, Brulois KF, Kaukonen R, Lönnberg T, Boström P, Koskivuo I, Irjala H, Miyasaka M, Salmi M, Butcher EC, Jalkanen S
(A1 Journal article – refereed)
Smartphone Otoscopy Performed by Parents (2019)
- Telemedicine and e-Health
Erkkola-Anttinen N, Irjala H, Laine MK, Tähtinen PA, Löyttyniemi E, Ruohola A
(A1 Journal article – refereed)
Autoilijan ahdistus (2018)
- Duodecim
Kuuskoski J, Irjala H
(D1 Article in a trade journal)