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Outcome and Histopathologic Regression in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma after Preoperative Radiochemotherapy

Behandlungsergebnisse und histopathologische Regression bei oralen Plattenepithelkarzinomen nach neoadjuvanter Radiochemotherapie

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Background and Purpose:

Preoperative radiochemotherapy has been reported to enhance tumor response and to improve long-term survival in advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. This retrospective study evaluates regression rate and long-term survival in 228 patients with primary oral squamous cell carcinoma treated by neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy and radical surgery.

Patients and Methods:

All patients with biopsy-proven, resectable oral squamous cell carcinoma – TNM stages II–IV without distant metastasis – received preoperative treatment consisting of fractioned irradiation of the primary and the regional lymph nodes with a total dose of 40 Gy and additional cisplatin (n = 160) or carboplatin (n = 68) during the 1st week of treatment. Radical surgery and neck dissection followed after a delay of 10–14 days. The study only included cases with histologically negative resection margins.

Results:

After a median follow-up of 5.2 years, 53 patients (23.2%) had experienced local-regional recurrence. The median 2-year disease-specific survival (DSS) rate was 86.2%. 5-year DSS and 10-year DSS were 76.3% and 66.7%, respectively. Complete histological local tumor regression after surgery (ypT0) was observed in 50 patients (21.9%) and was independent of pretreatment tumor classification. Uni- and multivariate survival analysis revealed that ypT- and ypN-stage were the most decisive predictors for DSS.

Conclusion:

Preoperative radiochemotherapy with cisplatin/carboplatin followed by radical surgery attains favorable long-term survival rates. This applies especially to cases with complete histological tumor regression after radiochemotherapy, which can be assumed for one of five patients.

Hintergrund und Ziel:

Die präoperative simultane Radiochemotherapie soll die lokale Tumorkontrolle erhöhen und das Gesamtüberleben beim Plattenepithelkarzinom des Kopf-Hals-Bereichs verbessern. Hierzu wurden retrospektiv die Regressionrate und das Langzeitüberleben bei 228 Patienten mit primären oralen Plattenepithelkarzinomen, die durch neoadjuvante Radiochemotherapie und radikale Tumorresektion behandelt wurden, untersucht.

Patienten und Methodik:

Bei 228 Patienten mit bioptisch-histologisch gesicherten, operablen oralen Plattenepithelkarzinomen – TNM-Stadien II–IV ohne Fernmetastasen (Tabelle 1) – wurde eine präoperative Bestrahlung des Primärbefunds und der regionalen Lymphknoten mit einer Gesamtdosis von 40 Gy bei zusätzlicher Gabe von Cisplatin (n = 160) oder Carboplatin (n = 68) in der 1. Woche durchgeführt. Im Anschluss folgten die radikale Tumor- und Lymphknotenresektion. In die Analyse wurden lediglich Fälle mit histologisch negativen Resektionsrändern eingeschlossen.

Ergebnisse:

Nach einer medianen Beobachtungszeit von 5,2 Jahren war es bei 53 Patienten (23,2%) zu einem Lokalrezidiv gekommen. Die mittlere tumorspezifische 2-Jahres-Überlebensrate lag bei 86,2%, das 5- und 10-Jahres-Überleben bei 76,3% bzw. 66,7% (Abbildung 1). Eine histologisch komplette lokale Tumorregression im Resektionspräparat (ypT0) konnte bei 50 Patienten (21,9%) festgestellt werden, unabhängig von der präoperativen Tumorgröße (Tabellen 2 und 3). In der uni- und multivariaten Analyse erwiesen sich ypT und ypN als wichtigste prognostische Parameter (Abbildung 2, Tabelle 4).

Schlussfolgerung:

Die präoperative Radiochemotherapie mit Cisplatin/Carboplatin und nachfolgender Tumorresektion erzielt hohe Langzeitüberlebensraten (Tabelle 5). Dies gilt insbesondere in Fällen kompletter histologischer Tumorregression nach Radiochemotherapie, welche bei einem von fünf Patienten zu beobachten ist.

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Correspondence to Oliver Driemel.

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Both authors contributed equally to the study.

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Driemel, O., Ettl, T., Kölbl, O. et al. Outcome and Histopathologic Regression in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma after Preoperative Radiochemotherapy. Strahlenther Onkol 185, 296–302 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00066-009-1914-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00066-009-1914-y

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