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Published in: Annals of Surgical Oncology 9/2011

01-09-2011 | Head and Neck Oncology

Identification of a High-Risk Subgroup of Patients with Resected pT3 Oral Cavity Cancer in Need of Postoperative Adjuvant Therapy

Authors: Chun-Ta Liao, MD, Chien-Yu Lin, MD, Kang-Hsing Fan, MD, Shiang-Fu Huang, MD, I-How Chen, MD, Chung-Jan Kang, MD, Hung-Ming Wang, MD, Shu-Hang Ng, MD, Chuen Hsueh, MD, Li-Yu Lee, MD, Chih-Hung Lin, MD, Tzu-Chen Yen, MD, PhD

Published in: Annals of Surgical Oncology | Issue 9/2011

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Abstract

Background

The NCCN 2010 guidelines recommend the use of postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) for patients with pT3 oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). We sought to determine whether postoperative adjuvant RT improves outcomes in pT3N0 OSCC patients.

Methods

A total of 119 consecutive patients with pT3N0 disease were involved. A total of 42 patients received postoperative adjuvant RT, while the remaining 77 did not. The 5-year rates of control, distant metastasis, and survival were the main outcome measures.

Results

We found no differences in the risk profile of patients with and without postoperative adjuvant RT, the only exceptions being a higher frequency of tumor depth ≥10 mm (78.6% vs. 48.0%, P = .001) and close margins ≤4 mm (11.9 % vs. 2.7%, P = .043) in those treated by adjuvant RT. Tumor depth ≥10 mm was the only independent prognostic factor for 5-year local control, disease-free survival, and disease-specific survival in multivariable analysis. Tumor depth ≥13 mm was the only independent prognostic factor for the 5-year rate of distant metastases (16% [7 of 50] vs. 2% [1 of 67]). After stratification for tumor depth and adjuvant RT, patients with pT3N0 disease who received adjuvant RT did not show a survival advantage.

Conclusions

Tumor depth ≥10 mm was the only prognostic factor identified in patients with pT3N0 disease. Adjuvant RT did not improve outcomes in pT3N0 patients, regardless of tumor depth. Patients with pT3N0 and tumor depth ≥13 mm (43% of pT3N0) were at the highest risk for distant metastases.
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Metadata
Title
Identification of a High-Risk Subgroup of Patients with Resected pT3 Oral Cavity Cancer in Need of Postoperative Adjuvant Therapy
Authors
Chun-Ta Liao, MD
Chien-Yu Lin, MD
Kang-Hsing Fan, MD
Shiang-Fu Huang, MD
I-How Chen, MD
Chung-Jan Kang, MD
Hung-Ming Wang, MD
Shu-Hang Ng, MD
Chuen Hsueh, MD
Li-Yu Lee, MD
Chih-Hung Lin, MD
Tzu-Chen Yen, MD, PhD
Publication date
01-09-2011
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Annals of Surgical Oncology / Issue 9/2011
Print ISSN: 1068-9265
Electronic ISSN: 1534-4681
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-011-1616-4

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