Prevalence and prognostic impact of synchronous distant metastases in patients with hypopharynx squamous cell carcinomas: a SEER-based study

Risk Factors for Synchronous Lung Metastasis in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Hypopharynx

Background: The objective of this study is to assess the risk factors for synchronous lung metastases (LM) in patients with hypopharynx squamous cell carcinomas (HPSCC). Methods: HPSCC patients were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 2010 and 2013. We examined the association between risk factors and synchronous LM using chi-squared tests. Predictors of survival rates were assessed using univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: A total of 1683 patients were analyzed, including 70 patients (4.2%) with synchronous LM, and 1613 patients without synchronous LM (95.8%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that Caucasian (P = .038), lower T (P = .026) or N classification (P = .000), and highly differentiated disease (P = .002) were associated with a significantly lower risk of LM. Elderly not married patients with higher T or N classification, multiple sites of metastases, and no surgical therapy to the primary tumors were more likely to reduce life expectancy. Conclusion: By analyzing data from a large cohort, Caucasian, lower T or N classification, and highly differentiated disease were associated with a significantly lower risk of LM. Elderly not married patients with advanced T or N classification, no surgical therapy to the primary tumors, and multiple sites of metastases were more likely to reduce life expectancy. More accurate assessments of LM will be imperative for early diagnosis and treatment in non-Caucasian patients who harbored higher T or N classification and poorly differentiated disease.

[Analysis of efficacy and prognosis of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and （or） surgery plus radiotherapy for hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma]

Objective:To analyze the risk factors that affect the prognosis of patients with hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma（HPSCC） and to compare the efficacy of surgical resection followed by adjuvant radiotherapy（SR） with that of neoadjuvant therapy consisting of platinum-based chemotherapy and fluorouracil combined with either cetuximab or nimotuzumab, followed by SR. The study also aimed to evaluate the overall survival（OS） of patients, their postoperative eating function, tracheostomy decannulation rate, and tumor response to the two neoadjuvant chemotherapies. Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical records of HPSCC patients who received SR or neoadjuvant therapy followed by SR treatment at the Shanghai General Hospital from 2012 to 2019 and had not undergone any prior treatment. The prognostic factors were analyzed, and the survival analysis of patients who underwent SR treatment with two neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimens was performed. Results:A total of 108 patients were included in the study. The results of the univariate analysis showed that gender（P=0.850） had no significant correlation with the survival rate of HPSCC patients who underwent SR. However, age, smoking history, alcohol consumption history, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio（PLR）, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio（NLR）, T stage, N stage, neoadjuvant therapy with either cetuximab or nimotuzumab combined with platinum-based chemotherapy and fluorouracil, and histological grade were significantly associated with prognosis（P<0.05）. The multivariate analysis revealed that smoking history, histological grade, and neoadjuvant therapy with either cetuximab or nimotuzumab combined with platinum-based chemotherapy and fluorouracil were independent risk factors affecting the prognosis of HPSCC（P<0.05）. Patients who received neoadjuvant therapy had longer OS than those who underwent SR only（P<0.001）. There was no significant difference in tumor response to the two neoadjuvant therapies and in OS（P>0.05）, and there was no significant difference in the rate of oral feeding and tracheostomy decannulation among the three treatment groups（P>0.05）. Conclusion:Univariate analysis showed that age at tumor onset, smoking history, alcohol consumption history, NLR, PLR, T stage, N stage, whether receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and pathological grade were associated with the prognosis of HPSCC patients receiving SR treatment. Multivariate analysis showed that smoking history, pathological grade, and neoadjuvant chemotherapy were independent risk factors affecting the prognosis. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with cetuximab or nimotuzumab can prolong the OS of patients, providing a certain basis and reference for the treatment of HPSCC.

Early Death Incidence and Prediction Among Patients With Hypopharynx Squamous Cell Carcinomas

Background: The objective of this study is to evaluate the incidence and associated factors for early death (ED) in hypopharynx squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) patients. Materials and Methods: Patients were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database between 2004 and 2014. The ED (survival time ≤3 months) rate was calculated, and associated risk factors were evaluated by the logistic regression models. Results: A total of 2659 patients were analyzed and 307 (11.5%) patients died within 3 months after cancer diagnosis, among whom 243 (79.2%) patients died from cancer-specific cause. In univariate analyses, advanced age, divorced/single/widowed (DSW), non-Caucasian, advanced T classification, distant metastasis, and no surgery were significantly associated with ED (P < .05, respectively). Multivariate analyses showed that advanced age, DSW, advanced T classification, distant metastasis, and no surgery were significantly associated with all-cause and cancer-specific ED. Conclusion: Our results showed that a total of 11.5% patients with hypopharynx SCC suffered ED, among whom 79.2% patients died from cancer-specific cause. Predictors of ED are primarily related to age ≥62 years, advanced T classification, distant metastasis, and no surgery but also include unmarried status; better prognostic and predictive tools for select ED patients in larger sample size are needed.

A nomogram for prediction of distant metastasis in patients with hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma: a study based on the SEER database

BACKGROUND

The prognosis of hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPSCC) is poor due to its high incidence of local invasion and distant metastasis (DM). This study aims to explore the DM risk factors of HPSCC and establish a clinical prediction model.

METHODS

We downloaded patient data from the Public Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 2004 and 2018. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to screen the clinical risk factors for DM of HPSCC. A new nomogram prediction model was then established based on the selected clinical risk factors. We further validated the model's accuracy based on the concordance index (C-index), the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC) curve, and the calibration plot. The decision curve analysis (DCA) to test the potential clinical value of the new model was also applied.

RESULTS

A total of 3502 patients were enrolled; the patients with HPSCC were randomly assigned to a training set (n=2463) and a validation set (n=1039). Multivariate Logistic model analysis suggested that sex, T stage, N stage, and the total number of tumors were influence factors for DM of HPSCC. We established and validated a novel nomogram prediction model based on the multivariate logistic model with these influence factors. The C-index was 0.943 and 0.849 in the training and validation sets respectively. The AUC of the training set was 0.705 (95% CI: 0.669-0.741), and the validation set was 0.667 (95% CI: 0.609-0.725). The calibration plot shows that the actual observation value was similar to the predicted value, meaning the model has an excellent discrimination ability. DCA of the nomogram in the training and validation sets suggested that our nomogram has potential application value.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that sex, T stage, N stage, and the total number of tumors are independent risk factors for DM of HPSCC. We developed a novel prediction model to predict DM in patients with HPSCC. This nomogram can identify patients with a high risk of DM and has a high clinical application value.

18F-FDG-PET/CT can be used to predict distant metastasis in hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Background

Hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPSCC) has a high rate of distant metastasis, resulting in poor prognosis. The role of the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), which was assessed via pretreatment 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET), and computed tomography (CT) was examined, for predicting distant metastasis and survival.

Methods

This study included 121 patients who underwent pretreatment FDG-PET/CT scanning and subsequent treatment for HPSCC. The SUVmax was measured via FDG-PET/CT. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine whether the SUVmax was a predictor of distant metastasis and to select the best cutoff value. Univariate and multivariate Cox hazard regression analyses were used in identifying associations between the SUVmax and other clinicopathological factors with distant metastasis-free survival.

Results

Distant metastases were identified in 33 patients during the median follow-up of 24 months after treatment. The ROC curve analysis determined that SUVmax was predictive of distant metastasis and identified a SUVmax of 13.9 as the best potential cutoff value. The univariate analysis showed that T and N classification, clinical stage, and SUVmax were significantly related to distant metastasis. However, in multivariate analysis, an SUVmax ≥ 13.9 was the only independent predictor of distant metastasis. Patients with high SUVmax values displayed significantly shorter distant metastasis-free survival and overall survival.

Conclusions

SUVmax determined via pretreatment FDG-PET/CT is useful for predicting distant metastasis, distant metastasis-free survival, and overall survival in patients with HPSCC.

Graphical Abstract

The incidence and risk factors for early death among patients with oral tongue squamous cell carcinomas

BACKGROUND

The objective of this study is to evaluate the early mortality rate and associated factors for early death in oral tongue squamous cell carcinomas (OTSCC) patients.

METHODS

Patients with OTSCC were extracted from the SEER database between 2004 and 2014. The early death (survival time≤3 months) rate was calculated, and associated risk factors were evaluated by the logistic regression models.

RESULTS

A total of 7756 patients were analysed and 282 (3.6%) patients died within 3 months after cancer diagnosis, among whom 214 (2.8%) patients died from cancer-specific cause. In univariate analyses, advanced age, divorced/single/widowed (DSW), higher histological grades, black, advanced T stage, advanced N stage, distant metastasis and no surgery were significantly associated with all-causes and cancer-specific early death. Multivariate analyses showed that advanced age, DSW, advanced T stage, advanced N stage, distant metastasis, and no surgery were significantly associated with all-cause and cancer-specific early death.

CONCLUSION

Our results showed that a total of 3.6% patients with OTSCC suffered early death. Predictors of early death are primarily related to age older than 60 years, advanced T stage, advanced N stage, distant metastasis and no surgery but also include unmarried status, but better prognostic and predictive tools in larger sample to select early death patients are needed.

Clinical manifestations of hypopharynx squamous cell carcinoma and treatment outcomes according to age at diagnosis

BACKGROUND

The objective of this study is to assess the clinical manifestations and prognostic value of age on overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) for hypopharynx squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database.

METHODS

Patients with hypopharynx SCC were extracted from the SEER database between 2004 and 2014. We examined the clinicopathological variables using Chi-squared tests and we evaluated the association between survival and different variables, including age, race, grade, tumour location, T category, N category and surgery therapies to the primary tumour, using the methods of Kaplan-Meier. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the effects of each variable on survival.

RESULTS

A total of 3702 patients were analysed. The patients aged 25-49 tended to be black and present withN3 and stage IV (P <.01). In multivariate analyses, the patients aged 25-39 had better survival rates, and the risk of death became higher with increasing age. Compared with patients aged 25 to 39 years, the hazard ratios for patients aged 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79 and 80-95 years were 1.190 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.584-2.423), 1.156 (95% CI 0.575-2.324), 1.315 (95% CI 0.654-2.642), 1.780 (95% CI 0.884-3.584) and 2.614 (95% CI 1.292-5.288) respectively. Subgroups analysis shows that the effect of advancing age was significantly associated with a higher risk of poor survival in patients who harboured moderately/poorly differentiated (all P <.05), T1-T4a, N0-N2b or stage I-IVa disease (all P <.05, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Younger patients tended to present with advanced N classification. Increasing age at diagnosis was associated with a significantly higher risk of poorer OS. However, when considering patients affected by more aggressive disease, age was not significantly associated with higher risk of dying from hypopharynx SCC. In high-risk patients, tumour characteristics rather than age should be considered when making treatment decisions.

Oligometastases in head and neck carcinoma and their impact on management

Historically, patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) with distant metastases were regarded as palliative. Oligometastasis (OM) refers to patients with a limited number of distant metastatic deposits. Treatment of patients with OMs has been reported in patients with lung, colon, breast, prostate and brain malignancies. Selected patients with oligometastatic HNSCC have a higher probability of durable disease control and cure and these patients should be treated aggressively. Treatment options for patients with HNSCC OMs include single or combinations of the three arms of cancer treatment, that is surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy/immunotherapy. To date, there are limited studies reporting the management of OM with head and neck malignancy. This review will give insights into the management of OMs in HNSCC.

Metastatic disease in head & neck oncology

The head and neck district represents one of the most frequent sites of cancer, and the percentage of metastases is very high in both loco-regional and distant areas. Prognosis refers to several factors: a) stage of disease; b) loco-regional relapses; c) distant metastasis. At diagnosis, distant metastases of head and neck cancers are present in about 10% of cases with an additional 20-30% developing metastases during the course of their disease. Diagnosis of distant metastases is associated with unfavorable prognosis, with a median survival of about 10 months. The aim of the present review is to provide an update on distant metastasis in head and neck oncology. Recent achievements in molecular profiling, interaction between neoplastic tissue and the tumor microenvironment, oligometastatic disease concepts, and the role of immunotherapy have all deeply changed the therapeutic approach and disease control. Firstly, we approach topics such as natural history, epidemiology of distant metastases and relevant pathological and radiological aspects. Focus is then placed on the most relevant clinical aspects; particular attention is reserved to tumours with distant metastasis and positive for EBV and HPV, and the oligometastatic concept. A substantial part of the review is dedicated to different therapeutic approaches. We highlight the role of immunotherapy and the potential effects of innovative technologies. Lastly, we present ethical and clinical perspectives related to frailty in oncological patients and emerging difficulties in sustainable socio-economical governance.