Patterns of failure after postoperative intensity-modulated radiotherapy for locally advanced buccal cancer: Initial masticator space involvement is the key factor of recurrence

Combined Spatial and Dosimetric Recurrence Pattern Analysis in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Following Postoperative (Chemo)radiotherapy

BACKGROUND

Advancements in nodal staging for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) have prompted radiotherapy de-escalation trials to reduce irradiation of electively treated neck regions, with the goal of improving treatment tolerability. While volumetric de-escalation has shown promise in definitive radiotherapy of HNSCC, limited data exist regarding its safety in the postoperative treatment setting. This study aimed to assess dose-level-specific locoregional recurrence patterns following standard postoperative (chemo)radiotherapy in a mixed HNSCC cohort to inform risk-adaptive radiotherapy strategies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 203 HNSCC patients (75% HPV-negative, 25% HPV-positive) treated with curative intent postoperative (chemo)radiotherapy from 2017 to 2021. Recurrence imaging was co-registered with planning CT, and recurrent tumor volumes were dosimetrically compared to the target volume dose and spatially analyzed using a center-of-mass-based approach. We classified five recurrence types: A (central high-dose), B (peripheral high-dose), C (central intermediate- or low-dose), D (peripheral intermediate- or low-dose), and E (extraneous dose).

RESULTS

With a median follow-up of 39.7 months, the three-year local, regional, and distant control of HPV-negative HNSCC were 84%, 87%, and 87%, respectively. Of 56 recurrences, 17 were local, 13 regional, 3 locoregional, 9 combined local/regional with concomitant distant failure, and 14 distant only. Of 40 analyzed recurrences, we identified 47.5% as type A/B, 5% as type C/D intermediate-dose, and 20% as type E, half of which were secondary cancers. Among the 27.5% (11/40) type C/D low-dose recurrences in the elective target volume, 15% (6/40) were true nodal failures, resulting in an overall elective neck failure rate of 3% (6/203).

CONCLUSION

The predominance of high-dose recurrences suggests that biological tumor resistance is a key driver of treatment failure, highlighting the necessity to refine postoperative risk stratification and integrate tumor biology into dose escalation decisions. The low incidence of isolated nodal recurrences in electively treated neck regions supports the feasibility of volumetric de-escalation of postoperative radiotherapy. This approach might not only be feasible for HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancers but also for HPV-negative tumors, provided that accurate nodal staging has been conducted.

The modified vermilion border-marionette line approach: A management for buccal cancer with wider indications and higher satisfaction

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of modified vermilion border-marionette line (MVBML) approach on postoperative facial scar, nerves injury, and prognosis of patients with buccal squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This is a single-center, prospective cohort study that enrolled 80 patients with BSCC from June 2015 to December 2020. According to the different surgical approaches, the patients were divided into two groups: the lower lip median (LLM) approach group and the MVBML approach group.

RESULTS

The results showed that the appearance (p = 0.003), scar consciousness (p < 0.001) and satisfaction with appearance (p = 0.001) of patients in the MVBML group were significantly better than those in the LLM group, and the difference was more obvious in elderly group. Statistical analysis of postoperative nerves injury showed that the MVBML group had a lower risk of facial and mental nerves injury than the LLM group, and there was a significant statistical difference in mental nerve injury between the two groups (p < 0.001). Through Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, we found no significant difference in disease-specific survival (p = 0.47) or disease-free survival (p = 0.70) between the LLM approach group and the MVBML approach group.

CONCLUSIONS

The MVBML surgical approach is worthy of advancement for the surgical treatment of BSCC.

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.

Salvage Surgery in Recurrent Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

More than half of patients with oral cancer recur even after multimodality treatment and recurrent oral cancers carry a poorer prognosis when compared to other sites of head and neck. The best survival outcome in a recurrent setting is achieved by salvage surgery; however, objective criteria to select an ideal candidate for salvage surgery is difficult to frame, as the outcome depends on various treatment-, tumor-, and patient-related factors. The following is summarizes various tumor- and treatment-related factors that guide our decision-making to optimize oncologic and functional outcomes in surgical salvage for recurrent oral cancers. Short disease-free interval, advanced tumor stage (recurrent and primary), extracapsular spread and positive tumor margins in a recurrent tumor, regional recurrence, and multimodality treatment of primary tumor all portend worse outcomes after surgical salvage. Quality of life after surgical intervention has shown improvement over 1 year with a drastic drop in pain scores. Various trials are underway evaluating the combination of immunotherapy and surgical salvage in recurrent head and neck tumors, including oral cavity, which may widen our indications for salvage surgery with improved survival and preserved organ function.