Karen E. Dyker

Outcomes following chemoradiotherapy for N3 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma without a planned neck dissection.

OBJECTIVES The optimal management of the N3 neck in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains controversial. We report the outcomes of patients with N3 disease treated with a strategy of concurrent chemo-radiotherapy (CRT)±induction chemotherapy (ICT) without a planned neck dissection. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty patients with HNSCC N3 disease treated between January 2004 and December 2010 were retrospectively identified. Inclusion criteria for the study were: non-nasopharyngeal HNSCC, N3 nodal disease, intention to treat with CRT±ICT. RESULTS Median age was 60 (range 39-74). Median follow up was 32 months (range 8-88). 34 (85%) of patients received ICT. 35 patients received cisplatin-CRT, 4 carboplatin-CRT and 1 patient was treated with radiotherapy alone due to ICT toxicity. 27 (67.5%) patients had a complete response (CR) to CRT. 5 (12.5%) patients had an incomplete response in both the primary and nodal sites. 8 (20%) patients had a CR in the primary site but incomplete in the nodal regions. The crude rate of regional failure following a CR was 3/27 (11.2%). Isolated regional failure occurred in 1/27 (3.7%) patients who had achieved a CR post-CRT. 3 year overall survival, disease free survival, locoregional control, local control and regional control in the whole cohort were 51.4%, 49.6%, 65.7%, 77.3%, 69.3%, and in patients with a CR were 73.3%, 70.0%, 86.6%, 90.5% and 91.7% respectively. CONCLUSION Isolated regional nodal failure is rare following a complete response to CRT for N3 HNSCC managed without a planned neck dissection.

Definitive hypofractionated radiotherapy for early glottic carcinoma: experience of 55Gy in 20 fractions

IntroductionA wide variety of fractionation schedules have been employed for the treatment of early glottic cancer. The aim is to report our 10-year experience of using hypofractionated radiotherapy with 55Gy in 20 fractions at 2.75Gy per fraction.MethodsPatients treated between 2004 and 2013 with definitive radiotherapy to a dose of 55Gy in 20 fractions over 4 weeks for T1/2 N0 squamous cell carcinoma of the glottis were retrospectively identified. Patients with prior therapeutic minor surgery (eg. laser stripping, cordotomy) were included. The probabilities of local control, ultimate local control (including salvage surgery), regional control, cause specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated.ResultsOne hundred thirty-two patients were identified. Median age was 65 years (range 33–89). Median follow up was 72 months (range 7–124). 50 (38 %), 18 (14 %) and 64 (48 %) of patients had T1a, T1b and T2 disease respectively. Five year local control and ultimate local control rates were: overall - 85.6 % and 97.3 % respectively, T1a - 91.8 % and 100 %, T1b - 81.6 and 93.8 %, and T2 - 80.9 % and 95.8 %. Five year regional control, CSS and OS rates were 95.4 %, 95.7 % and 78.8 % respectively. There were no significant associations of covariates (e.g. T-stage, extent of laryngeal extension, histological grade) with local control on univariate analysis. Only increasing age and transglottic extension in T2 disease were significantly associated with overall survival (both p <0.01). Second primary cancers developed in 17 % of patients. 13 (9.8 %) of patients required enteral tube feeding support during radiotherapy; no patients required long term enteral nutrition. One patient required a tracheostomy due to a non-functioning larynx on long term follow up.ConclusionsHypofractionated radiation therapy with a dose of 55Gy in 20 fractions for early stage glottic cancer provides high rates of local control with acceptable toxicity.

The Impact of 18F-FDG PET CT Prior to Chemoradiotherapy for Stage III/IV Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Introduction. To determine the value of a FDG-PET-CT scan in patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) prior to chemoradiotherapy. Materials and Methods. Consecutive patients with stage III or IV HNSCC who had undergone a staging FDG-PET-CT scan prior to chemoradiotherapy between August 2008 and April 2011 were included. Clinical details and conventional imaging (CT and/or MRI) were, retrospectively, reviewed, a TNM stage was assigned, and levels of cervical lymph node involvement were documented. This process was repeated with the addition of FDG-PET-CT. Radiotherapy plans were reviewed for patients with an alteration identified on TNM staging and/or nodal level identification with FDG-PET-CT and potential alterations in radiotherapy planning were documented. Results. 55 patients were included in the analysis. FDG-PET-CT altered the TNM stage in 17/55 (31%) of patients, upstaging disease in 11 (20%) and downstaging in 6 (11%); distant metastases were identified by FDG-PET-CT in 1 (2%) patient. FDG-PET-CT altered the lymph node levels identified in 22 patients (40%), upclassifying disease in 16 (29%) and downclassifying in 6 (11%). Radiotherapy plans were judged retrospectively to have been altered by FDG-PET-CT in 10 patients (18%). Conclusions. The use of FDG-PET-CT potentially impacts upon both treatment decisions and radiotherapy planning.