Oral and oropharyngeal cancer in the West of Scotland—long-term outcome data of a prospective audit 1999–2001

Impact of Adjuvant Radiotherapy in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity with Perineural Invasion

OBJECTIVE

Current guidelines indicate postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) with perineural invasion (PNI), however, its real benefit has never been proven. The aim of our study is to investigate the benefit of PORT in OSCC patients with PNI in terms of survival and disease control.

DATA SOURCES

The Pubmed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and Scopus databases.

REVIEW METHODS

Patients with PNI + OSCC treated with primary surgery were extracted from the included studies. The pooled logHR was calculated by comparing patients who underwent PORT to those who underwent only observation for overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), disease-free survival (DFS), and locoregional control (LRC).

RESULTS

About 690 patients with primary OSCC and PNI were included from nine studies. 374 (54.2%) patients underwent PORT, while 316 (45.8%) underwent observation. Analyses showed non-significant difference between the two groups for OS (HR: 1.01; 95% CI: 0.38-2.69), DSS (HR: 2.03; 95% CI: 0.54-7.56), and LRC (HR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.53-1.50). They showed a significant difference in terms of DFS (HR: 0.86; 95% CI: 0.77-0.97).

CONCLUSION

The real benefit of PORT in OSCC patients with PNI is still unclear, although it may have a positive impact on DFS. Clinicians should consider individual patient's characteristics, tumor factors, and treatment goals when deciding whether to recommend PORT. Further studies are needed to clarify which entity of PNI really benefits from PORT.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

NA Laryngoscope, 134:2019-2027, 2024.

Adding Concomitant Chemotherapy to Postoperative Radiotherapy in Oral Cavity Carcinoma with Minor Risk Factors: Systematic Review of the Literature and Meta-Analysis

When presenting with major pathological risk factors, adjuvant radio-chemotherapy for oral cavity cancers (OCC) is recommended, but the addition of chemotherapy to radiotherapy (POCRT) when only minor pathological risk factors are present is controversial. A systematic review following the PICO-PRISMA methodology (PROSPERO registration ID: CRD42021267498) was conducted using the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane libraries. Studies assessing outcomes of POCRT in patients with solely minor risk factors (perineural invasion or lymph vascular invasion; pN1 single; DOI ≥ 5 mm; close margin < 2−5 mm; node-positive level IV or V; pT3 or pT4; multiple lymph nodes without ENE) were evaluated. A meta-analysis technique with a single-arm study was performed. Radiotherapy was combined with chemotherapy in all studies. One study only included patients treated with POCRT. In the other 12 studies, patients were treated with only PORT (12,883 patients) and with POCRT (10,663 patients). Among the patients treated with POCRT, the pooled 3 year OS rate was 72.9% (95%CI: 65.5−79.2%); the pooled 3 year DFS was 70.9% (95%CI: 48.8−86.2%); and the pooled LRFS was 69.8% (95%CI: 46.1−86.1%). Results are in favor of POCRT in terms of OS but not significant for DFS and LRFS, probably due to the heterogeneity of the included studies and a combination of different prognostic factors.

Association between palliative care referral and burden of illness among cancers of the lip, oral cavity and pharynx

PURPOSE

To evaluate the burden of illness--length of stay (LOS), total charges, and discharge disposition--among cancers of the lip, oral cavity and pharynx (CLOP) patients with and without palliative care (PC) referral.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study utilized the 2017 National inpatient sample database to identify hospitalizations with a primary diagnosis of CLOP. Generalized linear models were used to assess the association between PC referral status and the outcomes-LOS, total charges, and discharge disposition while controlling for patients' characteristics.

RESULTS

There were 4165 PC referral among 52, 524 CLOP patients. The geometric mean of LOS for non-PC referral patients was 3.7 days, and for PC referral was 5.02 days, P < 0.001. In the adjusted analysis, CLOP patients with PC referral were more likely to have a higher LOS (Coefficient: 1.16; 95% CI, 1.01-1.25) compared to those without PC referral. The geometric mean of total charge among non-PC referral group was 48,308 USD, and CLOP-PC referral was 48,983 USD, P = 0.72. After adjusting for covariates, there was still no significant difference between the PC and non-PC referral groups. Discharge disposition were considerably different across the non-PC vs. PC referral groups. Compared to non-PC referral patients, PC referral patients were more likely to be discharge to skilled nursing facility, intermediate care, and another type of facility (aOR = 7.10; CIs, 5.51-9.12), or home health care (aOR = 4.13; CIs, 3.31-5.15).

CONCLUSION

During primary hospitalization, total charges was not different between patient non-PC and PC referral groups; however, the LOS and discharge dispositions were significantly different.

Operative tactics in floor of mouth and tongue cancer resection - the importance of imaging and planning

Complete tumour resection (R0 margin) is an axiom of surgical oncology. Oral cancer ablation is challenging, due to anatomical, functional, and aesthetic considerations. R0 margin is strongly linked to better survival outcomes with great variation in the R0 % across units. This is commonly attributed to disease biology. Without disputing the importance of biological characteristics, we contend that image-based anatomical surgical planning has an important role to play in achieving complete resection. Here, we present our approach utilising cross-sectional imaging, anatomical characteristics and spatial awareness in planning resections for floor of mouth (FOM) and oral tongue cancers. We highlight the challenge of controlling the deep tumour margin lingual to mandible due to anterior vector constraints and emphasise the importance of resecting the genial muscles in a planned fashion and that any rim resection should be obliquely sagittal. In resecting lateral FOM tumours, assessing extension to the parapharyngeal fat is crucial; and mandibular rim resection at a sagittal plane below the mylohyoid line is often required. Assessing the proximity of the contralateral neurovascular pedicle, pre-epiglottic space and hyoid bone are crucial parameters to determine the extent of tongue tumour resection. Our cohort included 173 patients with FOM SCC and 299 patients with tongue SCC. Six patients (3.5%) from the FOM group and eight patients (3%) from the tongue group had involved (R1) margins following surgery. This was associated with local relapse (p<0.05). In conclusion, we demonstrate that image-based planning can aid achieving R0 resections and reduce disease relapse.

Palliative intent treatment for head and neck cancer: an analysis of practice and outcomes

Background

There is little consensus on how best to manage head and neck cancer with palliative intent. Predicting outcome is difficult and reported survival varies. The present study sought to delineate local practice and outcomes in patients treated with palliative intent.

Methods

The clinical records of all head and neck cancer patients treated with palliative intent presenting between 2015 and 2016 to our multidisciplinary team were reviewed.

Results

Eighty-four patients (21.5 per cent) were treated with palliative intent. All had squamous cell carcinoma. Mean survival time was 151 days (standard deviation = 121.1; range, 8–536 days). Of the patients, 83.3 per cent had a palliative care referral; 74.1 per cent had a hospice referral. Patients received a variety of interventions, and there was an associated complication in 8.2 per cent. The mean number of days spent in hospital for interventions was 11.9 days (standard deviation = 12.5; range, 0–41 days).

Conclusion

Different interventions are used to manage head and neck cancer patients with palliative intent, and these may be associated with significant morbidity. Survival time is variable, often several months; thus, any treatment must take into account morbidity in conjunction with the patient's wishes.

Inequality in the Survival of Patients With Head and Neck Cancer in Scotland

Background: Socioeconomic inequalities impact on the survival of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients, but there is limited understanding of the explanations of the inequality, particularly in long-term survival. Methods: Patients were recruited from the Scottish Audit of Head and Neck Cancer between 1999 and 2001 and were linked to mortality data as at 30th September 2013. Socioeconomic status was determined using the area-based Carstairs 2001 index. Overall and disease-specific survival were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method with 95% confidence intervals (CI's) at 1-, 5-, and 12-years. Net survival at 1-, 5-, and 12-years was also computed with 95% CIs. Cox proportional hazard models with 95% CIs were used to determine the explanations for the inequality in survival by all-cause mortality and disease-specific mortality with 95% CIs. Results: Most patients were from the most deprived group, and were more likely to smoke, drink, have cancer of a higher stage and have a lower WHO Performance Status. A clear gradient across Carstairs fifths for unadjusted overall and disease-specific survival was observed at 1-, 5-, and 12-years for patients with HNC. Following the adjustment for multiple patient, tumor and treatment factors, the inequality in survival for patients with HNC had attenuated and was no longer statistically significant at 1-, 5-, and 12-years. Conclusion: A clear gradient across Carstairs fifths for unadjusted overall, disease-specific and net survival was observed at 1-, 5-, and 12-years for HNC patients in Scotland from 1999 to 2001. This study concludes that explanations for the inequality in the survival of patients with HNC are not straightforward, and that many factors including various patient, tumor and treatment factors play a part in the inequality in the survival of patients with HNC.

Determinants of long-term survival in a population-based cohort study of patients with head and neck cancer from Scotland

BACKGROUND

We investigated long-term survival from head and neck cancer (HNC) using different survival approaches.

METHODS

Patients were followed-up from the Scottish Audit of Head and Neck Cancer. Overall survival and disease-specific survival were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Net survival was calculated by the Pohar-Perme method. Mutually adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine the predictors of survival.

RESULTS

A total of 1820 patients were included in the analyses. Overall survival at 12 years was 26.3% (24.3%, 28.3%). Disease-specific survival at 12 years was 56.9% (54.3%, 59.4%). Net survival at 12 years was 41.4% (37.6%, 45.1%).

CONCLUSION

Determinants associated with long-term survival included age, stage, treatment modality, WHO performance status, alcohol consumption, smoking behavior, and anatomical site. We recommend that net survival is used for long-term outcomes for HNC patients-it disentangles other causes of death, which are overestimated in overall survival and underestimated in disease-specific survival.

Race and sex disparities in long-term survival of oral and oropharyngeal cancer in the United States

PURPOSE

To investigate the effect of race and sex on long-term survival of oral and oropharyngeal cancer.

METHODS

The Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database was queried for adult oral and oropharyngeal cancer patients with at least 25-year follow-up. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and cox proportional hazards model were used to identify differences.

RESULTS

Of the 22,162 patients identified, 70.3% were males. Only 8.9% were alive at 25 years post-diagnosis. Black males show the poorest overall and disease-specific survival rates (p < 0.001). After controlling for covariates, Blacks had a 40% higher hazard of mortality compared with Whites (HR 1.40, 95% CI 1.35-1.46), while females had a 9% reduction in mortality risk (HR 0.91, 95% CI 0.88-0.94).

CONCLUSIONS

Overall and disease-specific survival is poor for oral and oropharyngeal cancer patients, and Black men fare worst. This illustrates the need for long-term cancer survival plans incorporating disparity effects in overall cancer outcomes.

How will I be after my operation for oral cancer?

Validated health-related quality of life measures for patients with oral cancer have been available for over a decade. We used the Liverpool head and neck cancer database to identify 1060 patients who had curative operations for primary squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck at the regional maxillofacial unit between 1995 and 2010. We then produced one-page summary tables for subsites of oral cancer by stage and common treatments based on patient-reported outcomes from the University of Washington quality of life (UWQoL) head and neck cancer questionnaire. Data had been collected in a series of annual surveys. Sites included were buccal and retromolar (n=189), oral tongue (n=358), floor of the mouth (n=321), and other oral sites (n=192). A total of 633 patients completed at least one questionnaire (total 1931) between 9 and 60 months after treatment (71% of those alive at 9 months). Only questionnaires completed around 2 years from diagnosis or operation were analysed. Data include crude survival at 1, 2, and 5 years, the 12 UWQoL domains, which comprise the number of patients who chose the best 2 responses for each, overall health-related QoL, and the number who chose the worst responses (based on an algorithm). The data are sufficiently detailed to be used in discussions with patients about likely outcomes. They can help patients to make decisions about the type of treatment, provide a reference for realistic expectations, and enable them to be better informed when they give their consent.

A clinicopathological study of perineural invasion and vascular invasion in oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma

The risk factors for recurrence of head and neck cancer are classified as being of high or intermediate risk. Those of intermediate risk include multiple positive nodes without extracapsular nodal spread, perineural/vascular invasion, pT3/T4 primary tumours, and positive level IV/V nodes. However, little evidence is available to validate these intermediate risk factors. We analyzed perineural/vascular invasion in 89 patients who underwent radical surgery for oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma, whose records were reviewed retrospectively. Perineural invasion was found in 27.0% of cases and vascular invasion in 23.6%; both had a strong relationship with histopathological nodal status (P = 0.005). The 5-year disease-specific survival (DSS) and overall survival rates of patients with perineural invasion were significantly lower than those of patients without perineural invasion (P < 0.001 and P = 0.002, respectively). The 5-year DSS of UICC stage I and II cases with perineural/vascular invasion was significantly lower than those without (P < 0.001 and P = 0.008, respectively). Perineural invasion and vascular invasion are risk factors for regional metastasis and a poor prognosis. We recommend elective neck dissection when perineural/vascular invasion is found in clinical stage I and II cases. The accumulation of further evidence to consider intermediate risks is required.

Outpatient follow-up appointments for patients having curative treatment for cancer of the head and neck: are the current arrangements in need of change?

Although there are recommendations, there is little evidence about the rationale for the frequency and duration of review appointments for patients with cancer of the head and neck. We have recorded the pattern of follow-up in a tertiary cancer centre and its association with survival and recurrent disease. We used clinical letters and a prospectively maintained database to obtain details on 297 patients who were treated curatively for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity between 2005 and 2008. Mean (SD) age was 63 (12) years and 58% (n = 171) were male. Most patients were seen about 6 times in year one, 3 times in year 2, twice in year 3, twice in year 4, once or twice in year 5, and once yearly beyond year 5. Fewer clinics were scheduled for and attended by patients over 75 years of age, those with overall clinical grades 0-1, and those treated by operation alone in contrast to those who also had adjuvant radiotherapy. Patients were usually seen about 15 times over the 5 years. Taking into account the stage of the tumour and overall mortality, the number and timing of follow-up visits is adequate for the needs of patients with stage II-IV disease. Those with stage I disease may be considered for discharge after the third year if they are told about the risk factors, and signs and symptoms of recurrent disease, and surveillance in primary care.

Influence of histopathologic factors on pattern of metastasis in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS

Knowledge of histopathological factors, such as perineural invasion (PNI), extracapsular spread (ECS), angiolymphatic vessel invasion, and conglomerate lymph nodes, in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is important for appropriate treatment decisions. Given the availability of aggressive therapeutic options with known side effects and burdens for the patient, choosing the correct treatment option is vital.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective patient database.

METHODS

Using a retrospective database of patients treated over a 10-year period, independent prognostic factors for disease-free survival and overall survival were assessed. Univariate analysis was used to identify significant variables, and multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to determine independent prognostic factors.

RESULTS

Between January 1, 1999 and December 31, 2009, 291 patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma were analyzed to identify influence of histopathological factors on pattern of metastasis. PNI tends to set metastasis locoregional, both in ipsilateral and contralateral lymph nodes. Lymphangiosis eases the way toward ipsilateral lymph node metastasis. ECS spread and hemangiosis demonstrated a significantly higher risk of distant metastasis. With the occurrence of conglomerate lymph nodes, patient data demonstrated a highly significant accumulation of distant metastasis.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with PNI and lymph vessel invasion tend toward locoregional lymph node metastasis on the ipsilateral side of the neck. In cases of PNI, the patient is at risk for a contralateral neck recurrence of the tumor. In patients with ECS, blood vessel invasion, or conglomerate disease, disseminated spread of the disease to distant locations is more likely and has a high negative impact on survival of the patient.

Full length articles published in BJOMS during 2010-11--an analysis by sub-specialty and study type

Full length articles such as prospective and retrospective studies, case series, laboratory-based research and reviews form the majority of papers published in the British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (BJOMS). We were interested to evaluate the breakdown of these types of articles both by sub-specialty and the type of study as well as the proportion that are written by UK colleagues compared to overseas authors over a 2 year period (2010-11). A total of 191 full length articles across all sub-specialties of our discipline were published, with 107 papers (56%) coming from UK authors. There were proportionately more oncology papers arising from the UK than overseas (60 and 30% of total respectively) while the opposite was found for cleft/deformity studies (10% and 22%). There was only one laboratory-based study published from the UK compared with 27 papers from overseas. The number of quality papers being submitted to the Journal continues to increase, and the type of article being published between UK and overseas probably reflects different practices and case-loads amongst colleagues. The relatively few UK laboratory based studies published in BJOMS compared to overseas authors are most likely due to authors seeking the most prestigious journals possible for their work.

Head and neck cancer in the south west of England, Hampshire, and the Isle of Wight: trends in survival 1996-2008

There are reasons why survival may have improved in people with head and neck cancer, but few studies have reported on trends in the UK, and results are not consistent. We examined recent trends in survival for people diagnosed with head and neck cancer in the south west of England. Patients were identified over four one-year audits in a population (roughly 6.5 million) served by five cancer networks, and the work was collated by the South West Public Health Observatory (SWPHO) tumour panel. The SWPHO cancer registry provided data on death. Prognostic data, including stage, time to treatment, and deprivation index were extracted or derived from clinical records. A total of 2164 cases of oral, laryngeal, and pharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) were diagnosed. Crude total 5-year mortality decreased from 55% (95% CI 50.3-59.4) in people diagnosed in 1996 to 44% (95% CI 37.9-46.4) in those diagnosed in 2003 (p<0.001). Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for death within five years of diagnosis for surveys 2, 3, and 4 (compared with survey 1), respectively, were reduced in subsequent groups: HR 0.79 (95% CI 0.64-0.98), HR 0.70 (95% CI 0.56-0.87), and HR 0.72 (95% CI 0.58-0.90) (chi square for trend, p<0.001). Improvements over time were most pronounced among those with late-stage disease and with pharyngeal tumours. We have shown that survival has improved for people with head and neck cancer. Further large prospective studies are required to understand how quality of care, treatment, aetiology of tumour, individual risk, and behaviour contribute to survival.