Características diferenciales de los pacientes con carcinoma escamoso de cabeza y cuello sin antecedentes de consumo de tabaco ni alcohol

ObjectiveThe present study aims to analyze the differential characteristics of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) without a history of consumption of toxic substances such as tobacco and alcohol.Material and methodsWe carried out a retrospective study of 4,694 patients with HNSCC located in the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx or larynx treated in our center during the period 1985-2019.ResultThe 7.7% of the patients (n = 363) did not report a history of consumption of toxic substances. The group of patients with no toxic history was older, had a higher proportion of women, a higher frequency of cases located in the oral cavity, a higher proportion of cases diagnosed in early stages, and a lower incidence of second neoplasms. The percentage of patients with no history of consumption of toxic substances increased significantly over the study period. The overall survival of patients with no history of consumption of toxic substances was significantly higher than that of patients with toxic substances use. Specific survival for patients with tumors located in the oral cavity without a history of consumption of toxic substances was significantly lower than that of patients with toxic substances use, whereas for patients with oropharyngeal carcinomas the absence of a history of consumption of toxic substances was associated with a better prognosis.ConclusionsThere were differences in the epidemiological and prognostic characteristics of patients with HNSCC according to the history of consumption of toxic substances such as tobacco and alcohol.     

FDG-PET prediction of head and neck squamous cell cancer outcomes

OBJECTIVE: To confirm that high pretreatment uptake of 2-deoxy-2[(18)F]fluoro-d-glucose (FDG) detected by positron emission tomography (PET) measured at the primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and at metastatic nodal disease predicts poor outcomes for HNSCC. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: We enrolled 63 consecutive patients with a histological diagnosis of HNSCC (including tumors of the oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, and hypopharynx) from September 2000 through June 2003, into a prospective institutional imaging trial. Fifty-four patients (86%) underwent a baseline FDG-PET scan before curative treatment and were eligible for analysis. RESULTS: A primary tumor standardized uptake value (SUV) of greater than 9.0 predicted inferior local recurrence-free survival (P = .02) and disease-free survival (P = .03). Nodal SUV dichotomized according to the cohort median of 6.1 did not predict for either disease outcome (P = .71 and P = .98, respectively). On proportional hazards analysis, local recurrence and disease event hazard ratios for a primary tumor SUV of 9.0 or greater remained significant or at borderline significance when adjusted for nodal SUV or other clinical covariates. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support an association between baseline primary tumor FDG SUV and HNSCC outcomes. In contrast, nodal FDG SUV was not predictive. Primary tumor FDG SUV is a promising prognostic factor and may establish the need for intensified locoregional therapy in individual patients. Multi-institutional imaging trials and further characterization of the biology responsible for elevated FDG uptake in HNSCC will be necessary to confirm the prognostic utility of FDG-labeled PET.     

Head and neck carcinoma – stage at presentation

A prospective study was performed during a 2-year-period. A total of 127 patients presenting with a squamous cell carcinoma of the head, neck and upper aerodigestive tract were entered into the study. Patients were classified according to the primary site, namely: larynx (n= 44), oropharynx (n= 28), hypopharynx (n= 17) and oral cavity (n= 19) and others (n= 19). Patients were staged according to the UICC TNM classification (1987) and the nature and duration of their symptoms were recorded. Sixty-one per cent of patients were found to be presenting with advanced disease (stages 3 and 4): oropharynx – 71 %; hypopharynx – 77%; oral cavity – 50%; larynx – 34%. No relationship could be established between stage at presentation and duration of symptoms and 53% of patients with advanced disease had been symptomatic for less than 3 months at the time of diagnosis. Only 28% of patients presenting with stage 3 or 4 disease had symptoms for 3 months or longer. Earlier diagnosis will not make a significant impact on the overall prognosis in head and neck cancer.     

Pretreatment serum lactate dehydrogenase as a prognostic indicator for oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma

Objectives: To examine whether lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) can predict the prognosis of oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and to determine the optimal cut-off values for LDH.

Methods: This retrospective study included 184 patients with OSCC, treated with surgery between 2006 and 2014. The association between LDH and T, N classification was investigated using the Mann-Whitney test. Cut-off values for LDH were determined with a recursive partitioning analysis (RPA). Survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. A Cox hazard model was used to assess the prognostic capability of LDH.

Results: There was no association between LDH and T or N classification (p?=?.657, .619, respectively). RPA determined the cut-off values for LDH as 160 and 220?IU/L. The five year survival for low-, moderate-, and high-LDH groups were 87.7, 73.7, and 50.9%, respectively (p?p?=?.001) and 7.36 (95%CI =2.54–31.20, p?Conclusion: Pretreatment serum LDH is an independent prognostic factor for overall survival in patients with OSCC.     

Foxp3 expression in lymph node metastases in patients with head and neck cancer

Introduction: The prevalence and activity of regulatory T cells in patients with cancer correlates with poor prognosis. These cells are characterized by their expression of Forkhead box protein-3 (Foxp3). Squamous cell carcinoma is the most prevalent type of cancer in the head and neck region with overall poor survival rates, also due to early spread of metastatic cells.

Material and methods: Primary tumor specimens as well as lymph node specimens harvested during neck dissection of 65 patients with a diagnosis of HNSCC were subjected to immunohistochemical and H-score analysis of Foxp3 expression. Demographics, diagnoses, histopathology and subsequent outcome were analyzed.

Results: The primary cancer was squamous cell carcinoma in all patients (male/female 55:10) with the following tumor locations: oral cavity n?=?16, oropharynx n?=?28, hypopharynx n?=?11 and larynx n?=?10 (Stage III n?=?18; Stage IVA n?=?45; Stage IVB n?=?2). The H-score for Foxp3 expression in the primary lesion as well as metastatic lymph nodes was significantly higher in advanced stages compared to early stages with differences among tumor locations, which were not significant. High Foxp3 expression was associated with inferior overall survival rates at a mean follow-up of 83.4 months (6–204 months)

Conclusions: Foxp3 expression in HNSCC varied from the anatomical site and correlated positively with tumor stage and was associated with poor prognosis. Therefore, Foxp3 expressions in primary lesions as well as lymphogenic metastases appear to predict high-risk HSNCC patients. Novel therapeutic approaches targeting Foxp3⁺ cells might seem promising for this patient population.     

Prevalence and clinical features of human papillomavirus in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in Okinawa,southern Japan

Previous studies from Okinawa, a subtropical island in southern Japan, demonstrated a higher prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in oral carcinoma and a higher incidence of oral and pharyngeal carcinoma than those for mainland Japan. The present study aims to investigate epidemiologic and clinical features of HPV in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) in Okinawa. A total of 150 DNA samples from 150 Okinawan patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) were screened for HPV sequences by PCR using three consensus primer sets, and HPV types were determined by direct sequencing. The samples were consisted of 46 cases from the hypopharynx, 44 from the oropharynx, 16 from the larynx, 25 from the oral cavity, 10 from the maxillary sinus, and 9 from the nasopharynx. HPV DNA was detected in 45 (30.0%) HNSCCs, and HPV-16 was identified in 86.7% of positive specimens. The highest prevalence of the HPV sequence was found in oropharyngeal carcinomas (50.0%), especially in tonsillar cancer (63.6%). Multivariate analysis showed that oropharyngeal carcinoma (P = 0.002; OR = 5.34; 95% CI = 1.83–15.58), oral cavity carcinoma (P = 0.012; OR = 4.94; 95% CI = 1.43–17.10), and histological poor differentiation (P = 0.011; OR = 4.25; 95% CI = 1.39–13.04) each independently increased the prevalence of HPV infection. The present study reveals that patients with HNSCC, e.g., oropharyngeal and oral cavity carcinomas, in Okinawa have relatively high HPV-16 positive rates and low HPV-18 positive rates comparing with mainland Japan.     

Perineural invasion as a prognostic factor in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common type of head and neck cancer, and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) was proved to having a high prevalence of perineural invasion (PNI). Although some reports have revealed a relationship between PNI and the prognosis in HNSCC patients, the contribution of PNI to the prognosis remains unclear.

Objectives: This study was aimed to comprehensively and quantitatively summarize the prognostic value of PNI for the survival of patients with HNSCC.

Material and methods: We conducted PubMed and EMBASE to identify all relevant studies. A meta-analysis and subgroup analysis were performed to clarify the prognostic role of PNI.

Results: A total of 18 studies (n?=?3894) were included. 989 (25.4%) of the 3894 patients exhibited positive PNI, PNI was shown to be significantly associated with overall survival (OS) [hazard ratio (HR): 2.8, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.88–4.16], disease-free survival (DFS) (HR = 2.42, 95% CI: 1.92–3.05) and disease-specific survival (DSS) (HR = 2.60, 95% CI: 1.86–3.63).

Conclusions: The presence of PNI significantly affected OS, DFS and DSS in patients with HNSCC.     

Pacientes fumadores de cigarros con carcinomas escamosos de cabeza y cuello. Características epidemiológicas y pronósticas diferenciales

ObjectiveThe objective of this study is to assess the existence of differences in the epidemiological characteristics and prognosis of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) who smoke cigars.Material and methodsWe carried out a retrospective study of a cohort of 4,500 patients with HNSCC treated during the period 1985-2017.ResultThe proportion of cigar smokers was 2.4%, compared with 88.3% of cigarette smokers and 9.3% of non-smokers. There was an increase in the proportion of cigar smokers throughout the study period. With respect to cigarette smokers, cigar smokers had a higher proportion of male patients, a higher average age at diagnosis, and they had a higher frequency of tumours located in the oral cavity and hypopharynx. The results of a univariate analysis showed that the disease-specific survival of cigar smokers was lower than that of the other patients. Five-year disease-specific survival of cigar smokers was 60.9%, compared to 69.0% for non-smokers, 72.8% for smokers of less than 20 cigarettes/day, and 67.2% for smokers of more than 20 cigarettes/day. There were differences in the pattern of survival depending on tobacco consumption based on the location of the primary tumour.ConclusionsA 2.4% of patients with HNSCC had a history of regular consumption of cigars. Disease-specific survival of cigar smokers was lower than that of other patients.     

Preoperative circulating C‐reactive protein levels predict pathological aggressiveness in oral squamous cell carcinoma: A retrospective clinical study

Clin. Otolaryngol. 2011, 36 , 147–153 Objectives: Previous studies have demonstrated a relationship between elevated serum C‐reactive protein (CRP) levels and shorter survival in cancer patients. Few studies, however, have investigated the role of serum CRP levels in oral squamous cell carcinoma. The present study was conducted to analyze the relationship between preoperative CRP levels, clinicopathologic factors, and prognosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients. Design: Retrospective clinical study. Setting: University teaching hospital. Participants: Eighteen oral cavity leukoplakia and 59 oral squamous cell carcinoma patients between November 2006 and November 2009 from the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. Outcome measures: Clinicopathologic parameters, disease‐free survival and overall survival were correlated with CRP levels. Methods: Serum CRP levels were measured preoperatively, and all oral cavity cancer patients underwent curative intent radical surgery with or without postoperative adjuvant therapy. Results: The CRP levels in leukoplakia patients were used to analyze if factors (including diabetes and liver cirrhosis, smoking, alcohol drinking and areca quid chewing) influence CRP levels, and the results demonstrated they were not associated with CRP elevation (> 5.0 mg/L) (P > 0.05). In oral cancer patients, elevated CRP levels were associated with tumor status (P = 0.005), tumor stage (P = 0.054), bone invasion (P = 0.033), lymph node metastasis (P = 0.004) and lymph node extra‐capsular spread (P = 0.018). Patients with higher CRP levels showed poorer disease‐free survival (log rank test, P < 0.001) and overall survival (log rank test, P = 0.013). Conclusions: Preoperative serum CRP levels are associated with advanced tumor stage, bone invasion, lymph node metastasis, lymph node extra‐capsular spread and patients’ survival. CRP is thus potentially a prognostic indicator, but studies with longer follow‐up will be needed to confirm its reliability.     

The impact of microscopic versus macroscopic extranodal extension in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma: National cancer database analysis and review of the literature

ObjectiveTo analyze the prognostic significance of microscopic vs macroscopic extranodal extension and to assess the impact of chemoradiation on overall survival among patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma and varying degrees of extranodal extension.MethodsUtilizing the National Cancer Database, we performed a retrospective cohort study of 7975 patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma and varying degrees of extranodal extension who underwent primary surgical intervention. Propensity-score matched models following Cox regression analyses allowed us to assess the impact of adjuvant radiation alone vs adjuvant chemoradiation on overall survival in patients with microscopic extranodal extension and macroscopic extranodal extension.Results7975 patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma were included in the final analysis. Within this cohort, 25.4% had microscopic extranodal extension and 5.2% had macroscopic extranodal extension. On univariate analysis, we found that microscopic and macroscopic extranodal extension were associated with decreased overall survival when compared to those with positive nodes without extranodal extension (HR = 1.67; 95% CI 1.56, 1.79 and HR = 1.88; 95% CI 1.66, 2.14, respectively). On multivariate analysis after propensity-score matching, we found no significant difference in overall survival in patients who received adjuvant radiation alone vs. adjuvant chemoradiation for both microscopic and macroscopic extranodal extension.ConclusionOur data suggest that microscopic extranodal extension in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma is associated with worse overall survival than patients without extranodal extension following primary surgical intervention with neck dissection. The results of this study also suggest that the addition of chemotherapy to adjuvant radiation may not provide a significant survival benefit in patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma with microscopic and macroscopic extranodal extension. Comprehensive assessment of the benefits of adjuvant chemoradiation in the setting of microscopic vs macroscopic extranodal extension would need to be studied in a randomized controlled trial.     

Epidemiology,prognosis and treatment of simultaneous squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity and hypopharynx

ObjectiveThe study was designed to assess the prevalence, management and survival of patients with simultaneous squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity and hypopharynx (OC/HP).Material and methodsA multicenter, retrospective study (2 university hospitals) was conducted between 2003 and 2007 on a series of 96 patients with simultaneous squamous cell cancers of the OC/HP.ResultsA total of 88 men and 8 women were included in the study: 81 patients presented double sites, 14 presented triple sites and one presented quadruple sites. The tumour sites most frequently observed were: hypopharynx in 61% of cases (involving the pyriform sinus in 42% of cases) and the oropharynx in 59% of cases (involving the palatine tonsil in 30% of cases). Upper aerodigestive tract endoscopy under general anaesthesia revealed a simultaneous lesion not suspected on clinical examination in 45% of patients: the site discovered on endoscopy was hypopharyngeal in 2 out of 3 cases; the tumour was classified T1 or T2 in 95.5% of cases. Patients treated simultaneously for all sites had a better prognosis than patients in whom each tumour was treated separately. The 5-year specific survival was 34% and the 5-year overall survival was 28%.ConclusionThe prevalence of simultaneous squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity and hypopharynx ranges between 1 to 7.4% in the literature and was 4.6% in the present series. A common treatment strategy for each of the patient's tumours appears to be superior to the current theoretical approach that consists of considering each tumour separately.     

Is routine follow-up useful after combined-modality therapy for advanced head and neck cancer?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the usefulness of routine follow-up in a selected group of patients with head and neck cancer. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study with follow-up of 5 years for all patients. PATIENTS: Three hundred two patients with advanced (stage II or IV) squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx were treated with curative intent with surgery and postoperative radiation therapy between January 1, 1970, and December 31, 1990. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Survival after recurrence of the index tumor or the development of a second head and neck primary tumor. RESULTS: Overall actuarial 5-year survival was 56%. Relapse occurred in 119 patients, and salvage therapy was attempted in 49 patients. Only 2 patients survived to 5 years after relapse. CONCLUSION: In patients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, routine follow-up is more important for evaluation of treatment results and emotional support than of benefit in improving patient survival.     

Using Cox's Proportional Hazards Model for Prognostication in Carcinoma of the Upper Aero-Digestive Tract

One of the major short comings of the traditional TNM system is its limited potential for prognostication. With the development of multifactorial analysis techniques, such as Cox's proportional hazards model, it has become possible to simultaneously evaluate a large number of prognostic variables. Cox's model allows both the identification of prognostically relevant variables and the quantification of their prognostic influence. These characteristics make it a helpful tool for analysis as well as for prognostication. The goal of the present study was to develop a prognostic index for patients with carcinoma of the upper aero-digestive tract which makes use of all prognostically relevant variables. To accomplish this, the survival data of 800 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx or larynx were analyzed. Sixty-one variables were screened for prognostic significance; of these only 19 variables (including age, tumor location. T, N and M stages, resection margins, capsular invasion of nodal metastases, and treatment modality) were found to significantly correlate with prognosis. With the help of Cox's equation, a prognostic index (PI) was computed for every combination of prognostic factors. To test the proposed model, the prognostic index was applied to 120 patients with carcinoma of the oral cavity or oropharynx. A comparison of predicted and observed survival showed good overall correlation, although actual survival tended to be better than predicted.     

头颈部鳞癌颈淋巴结转移诸因素对预后的影响

对382例头颈部原发鳞癌病人颈清扫标本连续切片病理观察结果和临床资料进行回顾性分析，探讨淋巴结转移的各项临床和病理学因素与病人预后的关系。发现总体5年生存率为46.1％，口腔癌、口咽癌、下咽癌和喉癌的5年生存率分别为49．7％，39．7％，35．0％和60．3％。表明颈淋巴结的临床分期、触诊淋巴结大小、病理转移淋巴结情况、颈淋巴解剖分区受累数和最低受累平面与病人5年生存率有密切关系（均P＜0．01），而阳性淋巴的个数对病人预后无明显影响。提示针对影响预后的淋巴结因素应采取相应的治疗措施，以提高病人的5年生存率。     

Treatment of the Clinically Negative Neck in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Objective: To define the most effect treatment plan of patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma with clinically negative (N0) neck staging. Study Design: Retrospective review of 54 patients with N0 neck staging who underwent resection of an oral cavity primary tumor with or without elective neck dissection between January 1982 and December 1992 and with a minimum follow-up of 3 years. Methods: The records of 54 patients with previously untreated oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma and N0 neck staging were retrospectively reviewed to determine the impact of elective neck dissection on patient outcomes including regional recurrence and overall survival. Results: All patients underwent surgical resection of their oral cavity tumors, with 33 patients undergoing “watchful waiting” observation for the development of neck disease while 21 patients had elective neck dissections. The most controversial group of patients were those with intermediate-sized (T2 and T3) primary tumors. Eighteen of these patients underwent elective neck dissection, with two patients developing recurrent neck disease and an ultimate prognosis of 72%. Twelve patients had observation of their necks, with five of these patients subsequently requiring neck dissection. An additional seven patients did not undergo neck dissection, and this group had four survivors free of disease. The prognosis was 42% in patients not having elective neck dissections. Conclusions: Tl tumors do well with neck treatment other than careful observation. The data suggest that patients with T2 and T3 oral squamous cell carcinoma should undergo surgical resection of their primary tumor site and elective neck dissection. Patients with T4 oral cavity lesions should routinely undergo neck dissection.     

Using Cox's proportional hazards model for prognostication in carcinoma of the upper aero-digestive tract.

One of the major short comings of the traditional TNM system is its limited potential for prognostication. With the development of multifactorial analysis techniques, such as Cox's proportional hazards model, it has become possible to simultaneously evaluate a large number of prognostic variables. Cox's model allows both the identification of prognostically relevant variables and the quantification of their prognostic influence. These characteristics make it a helpful tool for analysis as well as for prognostication. The goal of the present study was to develop a prognostic index for patients with carcinoma of the upper aero-digestive tract which makes use of all prognostically relevant variables. To accomplish this, the survival data of 800 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx or larynx were analyzed. Sixty-one variables were screened for prognostic significance; of these only 19 variables (including age, tumor location, T, N and M stages, resection margins, capsular invasion of nodal metastases, and treatment modality) were found to significantly correlate with prognosis. With the help of Cox's equation, a prognostic index (PI) was computed for every combination of prognostic factors. To test the proposed model, the prognostic index was applied to 120 patients with carcinoma of the oral cavity or oropharynx. A comparison of predicted and observed survival showed good overall correlation, although actual survival tended to be better than predicted.     

Impact of retropharyngeal lymph node metastasis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND: The impact of metastasis to the retropharyngeal lymph node (RPLN) group is poorly understood because of the difficult access of the retropharyngeal space. Previous studies concluding to the negative impact of RPLN metastasis rely heavily on radiographic assessment, which introduces the possibility of diagnostic error. OBJECTIVE: To better define the prognostic significance of metastatic retropharyngeal adenopathy in patients with non-nasopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study of patients with non-nasopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck who underwent resection of the RPLN group and were followed up for an average of 24 months. SETTING: Tertiary care academic medical center. PATIENTS: The 51 patients included in the study had been treated for advanced-stage squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and/or supraglottic larynx via a surgical approach to the primary tumor that afforded access to the RPLN group. All patients underwent dissection and pathologic interpretation of the RPLNs, most patients received postoperative radiotherapy, and 43 patients met survival analysis criteria. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Local and regional recurrence rates, the development of distant metastasis, and disease-free and overall survival. RESULTS: Metastasis to the RPLN group was confirmed pathologically in 14 (27.5%) patients. There was no statistically significant difference between patients with and without RPLN metastasis in rates of local recurrence (24.8% vs 28.4%), regional recurrence (17.5% vs 19.6%), distant metastasis (17.0% vs 11.2%), disease-free survival (40.5% vs 30.5%), and overall survival (40.6% vs 38.5%). CONCLUSION: Metastasis to the RPLN group does not impact disease control or survival in patients with advanced non-nasopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck treated with multimodality therapy.     

Real-life efficacy of volumetric modulated arc therapy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Objectives

There is paucity of data on the efficacy of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The objective of the present study was to investigate outcomes and patterns of recurrence in locally advanced HNSCC treated by VMAT.

Surgical treatment for pulmonary metastases of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck

Purpose: As locoregional control of head and neck cancer has improved, distant metastases have become increasingly common problems.Patients and Methods: To determine the role of surgical treatment, we reviewed 32 patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the head and neck who underwent thoracotomy for pulmonary metastases.Results: The overall 5-year survival rate was 32%. The 5-year survival rate of the patients with SCC of the oral cavity was significantly poorer than that of the patients with other primary site (15.4% v 45.2%; P = .01). In the patients with single nodule, extent of the tumor was a significant prognostic factor (P = .007). Mediastinal lymph node involvement (P = .004) and pleural invasion (P = .04) also correlated with survival.Conclusion: TNM classification of the primary tumor did not have an impact on survival in this study. Further studies of a large series should be performed to determine the indications and modalities of the surgical treatment for pulmonary metastases of the SCC of head and neck.