Abstract
Background
We sought to investigate the prognostic impact of missed RT sessions in patients who had undergone surgery for oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC).
Methods
The study ...sample consisted of 905 patients with surgically treated OCSCC who fulfilled criteria of RT course ≤8 weeks. The study participants were divided into three groups based on the characteristics of missed RT, as follows: 1) early missed RT, 2) late missed RT, and 3) RT as scheduled.
Results
The 5-year overall survival (OS) rates in the early missed RT, late missed RT, and RT as scheduled groups were 53.0, 58.1, and 64.5%, respectively (
p
= 0.046). In multivariate analysis, early missed RT was independently associated with both OS (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.486; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.122–1.966;
p
= 0.006) and the occurrence of distant metastasis (HR = 1.644; 95% CI: 1.047–2.583;
p
= 0.031).
Conclusion
Early missed RT was independently associated with a higher occurrence of distant metastasis and less favorable OS in patients who had undergone surgery for OCSCC.
C-reactive protein (CRP) is an early marker for inflammation, and a relationship between serum CRP levels and survival in oral cancer has been demonstrated previously. In this study, we investigated ...the roles of CRP in different oral cancer subsites.
Three hundred and forty-three oral squamous cell carcinoma patients between June 1999 and March 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. Serum CRP levels were measured preoperatively.
The elevation of CRP levels (≥5.0 mg/L) was significantly correlated with pathologic tumor status, pathologic nodal status, nodal extracapsular spread, tumor stage, skin invasion, tumor depth (≥10 mm), and bone invasion. The correlation between elevation of CRP and clinicopathologic factors was more evident in the buccal cancer compared to other tumor subsites. The disease-free survival and overall survival correlation was significant in buccal cancer (p = 0.003 and p < 0.001) but not in tongue cancer (p = 0.119 and p = 0.341) or other oral cancer subsites (p = 0.246 and p = 0.696).
Preoperative serum CRP level was a prognosticator in oral squamous cell carcinoma, and its effect was more prominent in buccal cancer that occurs more frequently in areca-quid (AQ) endemic regions.
Objectives
To evaluate whether tegafur-uracil maintenance (UFTm) following postoperation adjuvant cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) may reduce distant metastasis in patients with ...resected oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) with pathologic extranodal extension (pENE+).
Methods
A retrospective comparison was conducted between two cohorts of patients with resected pENE+ OSCC who completed adjuvant CCRT between March 2015 and December 2017, including one cohort of a phase II trial using UFTm and a trial-eligible but off-protocol cohort without using UFTm (non-UFTm) after their adjuvant CCRT. The UFTm trial enrolled patients without relapse within 2 months after the end of adjuvant CCRT and administered UFT 400 mg/day for 1 year. Kaplan–Meier methods estimated the actuarial rate of distant metastasis-free (DMF), locoregional control (LRC), event-free survival (EFS), and overall survival (OS).
Results
A total of 103 patients were included in this study, 64 patients in UFTm and 39 patients in non-UFTm. Severe adverse events in UFTm included grade 3 anemia (n = 1, 1.6%) and grade 3 mucositis (n = 1, 1.6%). A total of 40 (62.5%) patients completed the full course of UFTm, while the remaining terminated UFTm earlier due to disease relapse (n = 14, 21.8%), poor compliance (n = 9, 14.1%), and adverse event (n = 1, 1.6%). The median (range) follow-up time of surviving patients was 43 (22–65) months. The outcomes compared between UFTm and non-UFTm were OS (hazard ratio HR 0.31 95% CI: 0.17–0.57, p < 0·001), EFS (0.45 0.25–0.82, 0.009), LRC (0.45 0.19–1.05, 0.067), and DMF (0.47 0.24–0.95, 0.035). Multivariable analysis, adjusted for UFTm, Charlson comorbidity index score 1–3, site of tongue, and number of ENE+ LN ≧4, confirmed better OS (0.29 0.16–0.54, <0.001) and EFS (0.47 0.26–0.85, 0.012) in favor of UFTm over non-UFTm. The 2-year DM rate was 25.8% in UFTm and 44.2% in non-UFTm. For relapsed patients in UFTm vs. non-UFTm, the rate of metastasectomy for oligometastasis was 53% vs. 6%, and the OS was 21.0 (95% CI: 17.8–24.1) months vs. 11.0 (9.1–12.8) months (p < 0.001), respectively.
Conclusions
UFTm may improve the dismal outcomes of the resected pENE+ OSCC. Further investigations are needed to confirm our observations.
To clarify the effect of induction chemotherapy (ICT) in patients with advanced pharyngeal and laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (PLSCC) treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT).
Patients ...with treatment-naïve nonmetastatic advanced PLSCC were stratified according to disease stage (III or IV) and resectability before being randomized to either a ICT/CCRT or CCRT arm. A cisplatin/tegafur-uracil/leucovorin regimen was administered during ICT and CCRT. The primary end point was overall survival (OS).
We enrolled 151 patients during December 2006 to February 2011. The median follow-up of surviving patients was 54.5 months. The ICT/CCRT arm included more patients with hypopharynx cancer (57.1% vs 40.5%, p = 0.09) and N2 or N3 diseases (85.7% vs 74.4%, p = 0.02). In the ICT/CCRT and CCRT arms, the 5-year OS was 48.1% and 53.2% (p = 0.45); progression-free survival (PFS) was 31.8% and 55.6% (p = 0.015); and locoregional control (LRC) was 37.7% and 56.2% (p = 0.026), respectively. The adverse events and compliance to radiotherapy were similar. However, the proportion of patients receiving a total dose of cisplatin during CCRT <150 mg/m
was higher in the ICT/CCRT arm (46.8% vs 16.2%; p = 0.000) and independently predicted poorer PFS and LRC in multivariate analysis.
OS did not vary between the ICT/CCRT and CCRT arms. However, poorer compliance to CCRT and inferior LRC and PFS were observed in the ICT/CCRT arm. Optimizing the therapeutic ratio in both ICT and CCRT settings are necessary for developing a sequential strategy for patients with advanced-stage PLSCC.
The role of elective and therapeutic selective neck dissection in patients with early stage cancer of the oral tongue remains controversial. The purpose was to investigate the role of neck treatment ...in the management of this condition.
A total of 380 patients with cT1-2N0 oral tongue cancer were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were staged by means of computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. A total of 324 patients received elective neck dissection (END), whereas 56 participants received observation (OBS). In all, 287 patients received supraomohyoid neck dissection (SOND), whereas 37 patients received modified radical neck dissection (MRND). Overall survival (OS) and neck control rates (NCR) were investigated according to the treatment modality.
In the END group the occult metastasis (OM) rates in cervical lymph nodes were 5.2% for cT1 lesions and 14.6% for cT2 lesion (P = .005). The 5-year OS (P = .029) and NCR rates (P = .001) were significantly better in the END group compared with the OBS group. Patients who received MRND had a better 5-year NCR compared with SOND, albeit not significantly (91.4% vs 85.3%, P = .415). Multivariate analysis showed that END and stage were independent predictors of both NCR and OS.
END should be performed routinely in patients with early-stage oral tongue cancer, even in the presence of negative neck by CT scans and MRI.
Objectives
To investigate the prognostic value of the preoperative systemic immune‐inflammation index (SII) in patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OC‐SCC) treated with curative surgery ...followed by adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) or chemoradiotherapy (CCRT).
Materials and Methods
We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of patients with OC‐SCC who received surgery and postoperative adjuvant RT/CCRT between January 2005 and December 2012. Blood samples were drawn in the 2 weeks preceding surgery. SII was calculated by multiplying the absolute neutrophil and platelet counts, and then, divided by the absolute lymphocyte count, and its optimal cutoff value was identified using the Youden’s index. The study endpoints included overall survival (OS), local control (LC), regional control (RC), and distant control (DC).
Results
The study sample consisted of 993 patients (58.8% of them treated with CCRT). The optimal cutoff value for SII was 810.6. A total of 347 (34.9%) study participants had high preoperative SII values. After allowance for potential confounders in multivariable analysis, high SII values were independently associated with less favorable DC (adjusted hazard ratio HR = 1.683, p = 0.001) and OS (adjusted HR = 1.466, p < 0.001). No independent association between SII and LC/RC was observed.
Conclusion
Increased SII values predict poor DC and OS in patients with OC‐SCC treated with curative resection and adjuvant RT/CCRT. Owing to the higher risk of systemic failure in this patient group, a thorough follow‐up surveillance schedule may be advisable pending independent confirmation of our data.
The SII is defined as platelet × neutrophil/lymphocyte counts. Increased SII values predict poor distant control and overall survival in patients with oral cancer treated with curative resection and adjuvant RT/CCRT. Owing to the higher risk of systemic failure in this patient group, a tight follow‐up surveillance schedule or adjuvant systemic treatment may be advisable pending independent confirmation of our data.
Localized prostate cancer can be treated with several radiotherapeutic approaches. Proton therapy (PT) can precisely target tumors, thus sparing normal tissues and reducing side-effects without ...sacrificing cancer control. However, PT is a costly treatment compared with conventional photon radiotherapy, which may undermine its overall efficacy. In this review, we summarize current data on the dosimetric rationale, clinical benefits, and cost of PT for prostate cancer.
An extensive literature review of PT for prostate cancer was performed with emphasis on studies investigating dosimetric advantage, clinical outcomes, cost-effective strategies, and novel technology trends.
PT is safe, and its efficacy is comparable to that of standard photon-based therapy or brachytherapy. Data on gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and sexual function toxicity profiles are conflicting; however, PT is associated with a low risk of second cancer and has no effects on testosterone levels. Regarding cost-effectiveness, PT is suboptimal, although evolving trends in radiation delivery and construction of PT centers may help reduce the cost.
PT has several advantages over conventional photon radiotherapy, and novel approaches may increase its efficacy and safety. Large prospective randomized trials comparing photon therapy with proton-based treatments are ongoing and may provide data on the differences in efficacy, toxicity profile, and quality of life between proton- and photon-based treatments for prostate cancer in the modern era.
PT provides excellent physical advantages and has a superior dose profile compared with X-ray radiotherapy. Further evidence from clinical trials and research studies will clarify the role of PT in the treatment of prostate cancer, and facilitate the implementation of PT in a more accessible, affordable, efficient, and safe way.
Background
To assess the prognostic significance of different nodal parameters i.e., number of pathologically positive nodes, log odds of positive lymph nodes, lymph node ratio (LNR), and extra-nodal ...extension (ENE) in Taiwanese patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC), and to devise an optimized pN classification system for predicting survival in OCSCC.
Methods
A total of 4287 Taiwanese patients with first primary OCSCC and nodal metastases were enrolled. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis with the spline method was applied to identify the optimal cut-off values for LNR, log odds of positive lymph nodes, and number of pathologically positive nodes.
Results
On multivariable analysis, we identified a LNR ≥0.078/0.079, the presence of at least three pathologically positive nodes, and ENE as independent prognosticators for 5-year disease-specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS) rates. We therefore devised a four-point prognostic scoring system according to the presence or absence of each variable. The 5-year DSS and OS rates of patients with scores of 0−3 were 70%/62%/50%/36% (
p <
0.0001) and 61%/52%/40%25%, respectively (
p <
0.0001). On analyzing the AJCC 2017 pN classification, patients with pN3a displayed better survival rates than those with pN2 disease. The 5-year DSS and OS rates of patients with pN1/pN2/pN3a/pN3b disease were 72%/60%/67%/43% (
p <
0.0001) and 63%/51%/67%/33%, respectively (
p <
0.0001).
Conclusions
Three nodal parameters (i.e., a LNR ≥0.078/0.079, the presence of at least three pathologically positive nodes, and ENE) assessed in combination provided a better prognostic stratification than the traditional AJCC pN classification.
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