A supervised machine learning model for identifying predictive factors for recommending head and neck cancer surgery

BACKGROUND

New patient referrals are often processed by practice coordinators with little-to-no medical background. Treatment delays due to incorrect referral processing, however, have detrimental consequences. Identifying variables that are associated with a higher likelihood of surgical oncological resection may improve patient referral processing and expedite the time to treatment. The study objective is to develop a supervised machine learning (ML) platform that identifies relevant variables associated with head and neck surgical resection.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 64 222 patient datapoints from the SEER database.

RESULTS

The random forest ML model correctly classified patients who were offered head and neck surgery with an 81% accuracy rate. The sensitivity and specificity rates were 86% and 71%. The positive and negative predictive values were 85% and 73%.

CONCLUSIONS

ML modeling accurately predicts head and neck cancer surgery recommendations based on patient and cancer information from a large population-based dataset. ML adjuncts for referral processing may decrease the time to treatment for patients with cancer.

Treatment Modality Impact on Patient-Reported Quality of Life in Human Papilloma Virus-Associated Oropharyngeal Carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

To prospectively compare the impact of treatment modality on patient-reported quality of life (QOL) in human papillomavirus-associated oropharynx squamous cell carcinoma (HPV + OPSCC).

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Academic medical center.

METHODS

One hundred one patients with American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 8th edition T1-3 N0-2 HPV + OPSCC completed the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core questionnaire and Head and Neck Module pretreatment and 3-month and 1-year posttreatment. Mean score changes were compared to published minimal clinically important differences.

RESULTS

Patients underwent surgery alone (SA: N = 42, 42%), surgery with adjuvant radiation (S-RT: N = 10, 10%), surgery with adjuvant chemoradiation (S-CRT: N = 8, 8%), definitive radiation (RT: N = 11, 11%), or definitive chemoradiation (CRT: N = 30, 30%). SA, S-[C]RT, and [C]RT patients all reported clinically significant difficulty with sense of taste/smell persisting at 1 year. S-[C]RT and [C]RT patients reported statistically and clinically significant worse salivary dysfunction and problems with social eating at 1 year than SA. S-[C]RT patients reported statistically and clinically significant worse fatigue and head and neck pain compared to [C]RT and SA patients at 3 months, but normalized at 1 year. S-CRT compared to S-RT had statistically and clinically worse physical and role functioning and swallowing difficulties at 3 months but this difference was resolved by 1-year posttreatment.

CONCLUSION

HPV + OPSCC patients after SA report the lowest posttreatment QOL impact, whereas after S-CRT report the highest symptom burden. Careful selection for definitive surgery is important given the possibility of adjuvant CRT. Patients can experience persistent sense taste and smell difficulties at 1 year with all treatment modalities.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

3 Laryngoscope, 134:1687-1695, 2024.

The tumor microenvironment of benign and malignant salivary gland tumors

BACKGROUND

Treatment of salivary gland tumors (SGTs) remains challenging. Little is known about the immune landscape of SGTs. We aimed to characterize the tumor microenvironment in benign and malignant SGTs.

METHODS

Eleven benign and nine malignant tumors were collected from patients undergoing curative intent surgery. Specimens were analyzed using mass cytometry by time-of-flight. Immune cell populations were manually gated, and T cells were clustered using the FlowSOM algorithm. Population frequencies were compared between high-grade and low-grade malignancies, corrected for multiple hypothesis testing.

RESULTS

There were trends towards increased CD4+ and CD8+ T cells among malignant tumors. High-grade malignancies exhibited trends towards higher frequencies of CD8+ PD-1+ CD39+ CD103+ exhausted T cells, CD4+ FoxP3+ TCF-1+ CD127- Tregs, and CD69+ CD25- CD4+ T cells compared to low-grade malignancies.

CONCLUSION

SGTs exhibit significant immunologic diversity. High-grade malignancies tended to have greater infiltration of exhausted CD8+ T cells and Tregs, which may guide future studies for immunotherapy strategies.

Postoperative inpatient surgical complications following head and neck microvascular free tissue transfer

BACKGROUND

Complications following head and neck microvascular free tissue transfer (MFTT) are common. Less is known about when they occur.

METHOD

Retrospective study of patients with primary or recurrent head and neck cancer undergoing MFTT reconstruction at a tertiary care institution. MFTT reconstructions with inpatient postoperative complications were included. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare median postoperative day (POD) onset of complication by flap type.

RESULTS

Of 1090 patients undergoing MFTT reconstruction, 126 (11.6%) patients experienced inpatient complications including fibula (n = 35), anterolateral thigh (n = 60), or radial forearm (n = 31) MFTTs. POD onset was shortest for surgical site hematoma (median = 1 [IQR 1-5]), and longest for donor site infection (median = 11.5 [IQR 8-15]). There was no significant difference between flap types and POD onset of complications (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Hematoma formation and flap failure occur earliest during hospitalization, while dehiscence, infection, and fistula occur later. There is no difference in complication timing between flap types.

Circulating tumor HPV DNA assessments after surgery for human papilloma virus-associated oropharynx carcinoma

PURPOSE

To understand the utility of circulating tumor human papillomavirus DNA (ctHPVDNA) blood testing for HPV-associated oropharynx squamous cell carcinoma (HPV + OPSCC) after definitive surgery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Prospective cohort study of HPV(+)OPSCC patients with ctHPVDNA test data to assess its accuracy in detecting biopsy-confirmed disease at various post-treatment time points. Eligible patients had p16(+)/HPV(+) OPSCC and ctHPVDNA testing performed at any time pre-operatively and/or postoperatively. In cases of recurrence, patients were excluded from analysis if ctHPVDNA testing was not performed within 6 months of biopsy.

RESULTS

196 all-treatment-type patients had at least one PT ctHPVDNA test. The initial post-treatment (PT) ctHPVDNA sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were 69.2 % (9/13), 96.7 % (177/183), 60.0 % (9/15), and 97.8 % (177/181). 61 surgery alone (SA) patients underwent 128 PT tests. The initial PT SA ctHPVDNA sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were 100 % (2/2), 96.0 % (48/50), 50 % (2/4), and 100 % (48/48). 35 of 61 (57.4 %) SA patients had NCCN-based histopathologic indications for adjuvant (chemo)radiation but declined. 3 of 35 (8.57 %) had a positive PT ctHPVDNA test of which 1 of 3 (33 %) had biopsy-proven recurrence. Prospectively, ten patients had a PreT positive ctHPVDNA, underwent SA, refused adjuvant treatment, had an undetectable ctHPVDNA within 2 weeks of SA, and remained free of disease (mean 10.3 months).

CONCLUSION

The high specificity and NPV of ctHPVDNA after SA suggest ctHPVDNA may have a role in determining the omission of PT adjuvant (chemo)radiation in select patients.

International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Sinonasal Tumors

BACKGROUND

Sinonasal neoplasms, whether benign and malignant, pose a significant challenge to clinicians and represent a model area for multidisciplinary collaboration in order to optimize patient care. The International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Sinonasal Tumors (ICSNT) aims to summarize the best available evidence and presents 48 thematic and histopathology-based topics spanning the field.

METHODS

In accordance with prior International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology documents, ICSNT assigned each topic as an Evidence-Based Review with Recommendations, Evidence-Based Review, and Literature Review based on the level of evidence. An international group of multidisciplinary author teams were assembled for the topic reviews using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses format, and completed sections underwent a thorough and iterative consensus-building process. The final document underwent rigorous synthesis and review prior to publication.

RESULTS

The ICSNT document consists of four major sections: general principles, benign neoplasms and lesions, malignant neoplasms, and quality of life and surveillance. It covers 48 conceptual and/or histopathology-based topics relevant to sinonasal neoplasms and masses. Topics with a high level of evidence provided specific recommendations, while other areas summarized the current state of evidence. A final section highlights research opportunities and future directions, contributing to advancing knowledge and community intervention.

CONCLUSION

As an embodiment of the multidisciplinary and collaborative model of care in sinonasal neoplasms and masses, ICSNT was designed as a comprehensive, international, and multidisciplinary collaborative endeavor. Its primary objective is to summarize the existing evidence in the field of sinonasal neoplasms and masses.

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in salivary gland cancers treated with pembrolizumab

BACKGROUND

A minority of patients with recurrent/metastatic (R/M) salivary gland cancers (SGCs) benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), necessitating reliable biomarkers for ICI response prediction.

METHODS

Retrospective observational study of R/M SGC patients treated with pembrolizumab between 2016 and 2022, with a primary outcome of 6-month progression-free survival (PFS) and secondary outcome of 2-year overall survival (OS). Univariate and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were employed.

RESULTS

Twenty R/M SGC patients were included. After adjustment, NLR as a continuous variable was independently associated with 6-month PFS (HR 1.30, 95% CI 1.10-1.54, p = 0.002) and 2-year OS (HR 1.33, 95% CI 1.07-1.66, p = 0.010). Similarly, NLR ≥ 5 was associated with higher hazards of progression at 6 months (HR 12.85, 95% CI 2.17-76.16, p = 0.005) and death at 2 years (HR 11.25, 95% CI 1.67-75.77, p = 0.013).

CONCLUSIONS

Higher pretreatment NLR was independently associated with inferior 6-month PFS and 2-year OS in pembrolizumab-treated R/M SGC patients.

A prospective evaluation of neck and shoulder function following treatments of early-stage human papillomavirus-associated oropharynx cancer

OBJECTIVES

To compare post-treatment neck and shoulder function between human papillomavirus-associated oropharynx squamous cell carcinoma (HPV + OPSCC) treatments.

DESIGN

Prospective, repeated-measures study.

SETTING

Tertiary care center.

PARTICIPANTS

Treatment-naïve patients with American Joint Committee on Cancer eighth edition stage T0-3/N0-2 HPV+OPSCC.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Patients completed the Neck Dissection Impairment Index (NDII) pre-treatment and 3-months and 1-year post-treatment. The NDII assesses 10 neck and shoulder functions scored 0-5 (total score 0-100), with higher scores suggesting better function.

RESULTS

A total of 106 patients underwent: surgery alone (SA, n = 46, 43%), surgery with adjuvant radiation ± chemotherapy (S + a[C]XRT, n = 18, 17%), or definitive radiation ± chemotherapy (d[C]XRT, n = 42, 40%). cTN classification and pre-treatment NDII scores did not differ between groups. SA patients reported worsened 3-month post-treatment versus pre-treatment self-care (4.6 vs. 5.0), lifting light (4.6 vs. 5.0) and heavy (4.2 vs. 4.8) objects, overhead reach (4.5 vs. 4.9), activity (4.5 vs. 4.9), socialization (4.7 vs. 4.9), recreation (4.6 vs. 4.9), and overall score (86.8 vs. 95.3) (all p < 0.05). One-year post-treatment scores (n = 34) were no different than pre-treatment in all domains. S + a[C]XRT patients reported worsened 3-month versus pre-treatment stiffness (4.0 vs. 4.8), lifting heavy objects (3.8 vs. 4.9), overhead reach (4.2 vs. 4.9), socialization (4.6 vs. 5.0), recreation (4.4 vs. 4.9) and overall score (82.4 vs. 96.0) (all p < 0.05). One-year post-treatment scores (n = 13) were no different than pre-treatment in all domains. d[C]XRT patients reported worsened 3-month versus pre-treatment difficulty lifting heavy objects (4.3 vs. 4.7) and recreation (4.3 vs. 4.7). One-year posttreatment scores (n = 21) were no different than pre-treatment in all domains.

CONCLUSION

HPV + OPSCC patients may experience mild shoulder/neck dysfunction 3 months after treatment that usually resolves by 1 year, independent of treatment modality.

Human Papillomavirus-Associated Oropharyngeal Cancer: Global Epidemiology and Public Policy Implications

Global trends in human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated head and neck cancers (HNC), specifically in the oropharynx subsite, have been dynamically changing, leading to new staging and treatment paradigms. Epidemiologic studies have noted regional variations in HPV-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). While HPV vaccination remains the main preventative approach, vaccination policy in relation to gender neutrality is heterogeneous and particularly sparse in low- and middle-income countries, where the burden of global cancer cases and HPV-associated HNC are not well-characterized in certain regions. This review summarizes the existing literature on regional variations of HPV-associated OPSCC and gender-neutral vaccine policies. Based on available data, the incidence of HPV-associated OPSCC is highest in North America, Europe, and Oceania. As of 2022, 122 of 195 (63%) World Health Organization (WHO) member states had incorporated HPV vaccinations nationally; of these, 41 of 122 (34%) member states have introduced gender-neutral vaccine coverage. Future research is needed to describe continued evolving trends in HPV-associated OPSCC, understand underlying risk factors leading to regional variation in disease, and implement gender-neutral policy more broadly.

Prospective quality of life outcomes for human papillomavirus associated oropharynx cancer patients after surgery alone

PURPOSE

To evaluate changes in patient-reported quality of life (QOL) to inform treatment decisions for human papillomavirus-associated oropharynx squamous cell carcinoma (HPV + OPSCC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 8th edition cT0-T3 and cN0-N3 HPV + OPSCC treated with transoral robotic surgery to the primary site with neck dissection completed questionnaires prior to surgery and at three-months and one-year post-operatively. Questionnaires included four validated instruments: the University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire (UW-QOL), European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and Head and Neck Module (HN35), and the Neck Dissection Impairment Index (NDII).

RESULTS

Forty-eight patients filled out pretreatment and three-month questionnaires. 37 patients filled out one-year questionnaires. With the UW-QOL, at three-months, patients reported a statistically significant and clinically meaningful decreased mean score for appearance that resolved at one-year (presurgery: 92.4, 3-month: 81.0, p < 0.001; one year: 86.5). At three months and one-year, significant and clinically meaningful decreased mean taste scores persisted (presurgery: 98.0; three-months: 76.3, one-year: 80.3; all p < 0.001). With the EORTC QLQ-C30 and HN35, at one-year, only mean scores for sense of taste or smell (one-year: 13.1; p < 0.001) did not return to baseline. With the NDII, patients returned to functions comparable to baseline in all domains.

CONCLUSION

Post-treatment quality of life is high for HPV+ OPSCC patients treated with surgery alone. Mild taste and possibly smell dysfunction may continue in some patients. With careful selection, surgery alone for HPV + OPSCC offers favorable QOL outcomes.

LAY SUMMARY

Patients with HPV+ associated oropharynx cancer treated with surgery alone completed quality of life questionnaires before and after surgery. Quality of life remained high for most patients, with a subset of patients experiencing mild taste dysfunction one-year after surgery.

Relations of Current and Past Cancer with Severe Outcomes among 104,590 Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients: The COVID EHR Cohort at the University of Wisconsin

BACKGROUND

There is mixed evidence about the relations of current versus past cancer with severe COVID-19 outcomes and how they vary by patient and cancer characteristics.

METHODS

Electronic health record data of 104,590 adult hospitalized patients with COVID-19 were obtained from 21 United States health systems from February 2020 through September 2021. In-hospital mortality and ICU admission were predicted from current and past cancer diagnoses. Moderation by patient characteristics, vaccination status, cancer type, and year of the pandemic was examined.

RESULTS

6.8% of the patients had current (n = 7,141) and 6.5% had past (n = 6,749) cancer diagnoses. Current cancer predicted both severe outcomes but past cancer did not; adjusted odds ratios (aOR) for mortality were 1.58 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.46-1.70] and 1.04 (95% CI, 0.96-1.13), respectively. Mortality rates decreased over the pandemic but the incremental risk of current cancer persisted, with the increment being larger among younger vs. older patients. Prior COVID-19 vaccination reduced mortality generally and among those with current cancer (aOR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.53-0.90).

CONCLUSIONS

Current cancer, especially among younger patients, posed a substantially increased risk for death and ICU admission among patients with COVID-19; prior COVID-19 vaccination mitigated the risk associated with current cancer. Past history of cancer was not associated with higher risks for severe COVID-19 outcomes for most cancer types.

IMPACT

This study clarifies the characteristics that modify the risk associated with cancer on severe COVID-19 outcomes across the first 20 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. See related commentary by Egan et al., p. 3.

Approaches to the Management of Metastatic Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma

High rates of recurrence and distant metastasis are a foremost challenge in the management of adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC), occurring in approximately 40% of all ACC patients. Despite the morbidity and mortality resulting from recurrent/metastatic (R/M) disease, there are no FDA-approved systemic agents for these patients. In this review, we summarize pertinent ACC pathophysiology and its implications for different systemic treatment regimens in R/M ACC. We review the evidence for the most widely used systemic agents - cytotoxic chemotherapy and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) targeting VEGFR - in addition to immune checkpoint inhibitors and non-TKI biologic agents. Exciting emerging targets for R/M ACC, including inhibitors of Notch signaling, stemness, PRMT5, and Axl, are also discussed. Lastly, we review local therapies for small-volume lung disease in patients with oligometastatic ACC, specifically pulmonary metastasectomy and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). Future development of targeted molecular agents which exploit the underlying biology of this disease may yield novel therapeutic options to improve clinical outcomes in patients with R/M ACC.

STAT3 Activation as a Predictive Biomarker for Ruxolitinib Response in Head and Neck Cancer

PURPOSE

Increased activity of STAT3 is associated with progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Upstream activators of STAT3, such as JAKs, represent potential targets for therapy of solid tumors, including HNSCC. In this study, we investigated the anticancer effects of ruxolitinib, a clinical JAK1/2 inhibitor, in HNSCC preclinical models, including patient-derived xenografts (PDX) from patients treated on a window-of-opportunity trial.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

HNSCC cell lines were treated with ruxolitinib, and the impact on activated STAT3 levels, cell growth, and colony formation was assessed. PDXs were generated from patients with HNSCC who received a brief course of neoadjuvant ruxolitinib on a clinical trial. The impact of ruxolitinib on tumor growth and STAT3 activation was assessed.

RESULTS

Ruxolitinib inhibited STAT3 activation, cellular growth, and colony formation of HNSCC cell lines. Ruxolitinib treatment of mice bearing an HNSCC cell line-derived xenograft significantly inhibited tumor growth compared with vehicle-treated controls. The response of HNSCC PDXs derived from patients on the clinical trial mirrored the responses seen in the neoadjuvant setting. Baseline active STAT3 (pSTAT3) and total STAT3 levels were lower, and ruxolitinib inhibited STAT3 activation in a PDX from a patient whose disease was stable on ruxolitinib, compared with a PDX from a patient whose disease progressed on ruxolitinib and where ruxolitinib treatment had minimal impact on STAT3 activation.

CONCLUSIONS

Ruxolitinib exhibits antitumor effects in HNSCC preclinical models. Baseline pSTAT3 or total STAT3 levels in the tumor may serve as predictive biomarkers to identify patients most likely to respond to ruxolitinib.

Abstract LB084: AXL as a therapeutic target in adenoid cystic carcinoma: preclinical evaluation of AXL targeting antibody-drug conjugate (ADCT-601)

Background: Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare cancer of salivary gland cancer with a significant unmet clinical need. Conventional systemic therapy has limited efficacy and there are currently no FDA approved drugs for these patients with metastatic disease. Advances in molecular profiling led identification of potential therapeutic targets, and previous studies with proteomic analysis identified AXL as a potential therapeutic target in ACC. AXL, a member of the TAM tyrosine kinase receptor family has been generally associated with poor prognosis, and its overexpression and activation is implicated in conferring resistance to conventional systemic therapies in solid tumors. ADCT-601 is an antibody drug conjugate targeting human AXL carrying novel pyrrolobenzodiazepine dimer cytotoxin as the payload.

Methods: The goal of this study is to determine the in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor activity of ADCT-601 in ACC cell lines and patient-derived xenograft (ACCX) models with varying AXL expression determined by Western blot. ADCT-601 treated cell lines in vitro were analyzed by MTT-based cytotoxic assay and immunoblotting, and anti-tumorigenicity was assessed in two ACCX models.

Results: ADCT-601 induced a potent dose-dependent cytotoxic effect in ACC cell lines, but its cytotoxic activity was attenuated after AXL knockdown. Biochemical data indicated that ADCT-601 treatment led to DNA damage and induction of apoptotic factors accompanied by phosphorylation of gamma-H2AX. In high AXL expressing ACCX6 model, a single dose of either 0.5 or 1.0 mg/kg ADCT-601 significantly suppressed tumor growth resulting 3/5 partial responders (PRs) at 1mg/kg and 2/5 PRs at 0.5 mg/kg, compared to the vehicle or isotype-ADC control treated mice (0/5 PR and 1/5 PR, respectively). ADCT-601 appears to eliminate tumor, as no evidence of recovery in tumor growth was observed during a 60-day period. In low AXL expressing ACCX9 model, ADCT-601 treatment (at either the 0.5 or 1.0 mg/kg dose) delayed tumor growth compared to isotype-ADC control, but did not lead to durable partial responses.

Conclusion: This study demonstrated that ADCT-601 induced a potent and specific in vitro and in-vivo anti-tumor activities in AXL expressing ACC models and suggests further development of ADCT-601 in biomarker driven clinical trials.

Citation Format: Joseph O. Humtsoe, Leilani Jones, Shorook Naara, Francesca Zammarchi, Nicole Spardy Burr, Patrick H. van Berkel, Patrick K. Ha, Hyunseok Kang. AXL as a therapeutic target in adenoid cystic carcinoma: preclinical evaluation of AXL targeting antibody-drug conjugate (ADCT-601) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr LB084.

Feasibility of accelerated image-guided high-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy with inverse planning simulated annealing (IPSA-HDRBT) for post-operative treatment of pathologically node-negative squamous cell carcinomas of the oral tongue

PURPOSE

Inverse planning simulated annealing (IPSA) produces highly conformal dose distributions and quick optimizations for high-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy (HDRBT). We report our dosimetry and overall outcomes using this approach for the accelerated post-operative treatment of pathologically node-negative squamous cell carcinomas of the oral tongue (OTSCC) with high risk of local recurrence.

METHODS

Patients with newly diagnosed pN0 OTSCC treated with partial glossectomy, neck dissection, and post-operative HDRBT alone from 2007 to 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients received 30 Gy in 5 fractions over 2.5 days. Target volume and mandible dosimetry are reported. Actuarial rates of local control, regional control, disease-specific survival, and overall survival were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Toxicity was categorized using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 5.0.

RESULTS

19 consecutive patients were reviewed. Median follow-up was 3.2 years (IQR 1.4-8.2 years) with a 3-year estimated local control rate of 81%. Target volumes were generally small, as the median volume was 12.66 cc. Median V150% and V200% were 52% and 24%, respectively. D1cc and D2cc to the mandible were 17.31 Gy and 14.42 Gy, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

IPSA-HDRBT is feasible and highly efficient for post-operative treatment of the primary tumor bed in patients with pathologically node-negative squamous cell carcinomas of the oral tongue. Further technical optimization and prospective clinical evaluation in a larger patient cohort are planned.

Prevalence of human papillomavirus in head and neck cancers at tertiary care centers in the United States over time

BACKGROUND

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for a growing proportion of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCCs) among men and White individuals. Whether similar trends apply to women, non‐Whites, and non‐oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (non‐OPSCCs) is unknown.

METHODS

This is a cross‐sectional analysis combining 2 multi‐institutional case series of incident head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cases. Incident HNSCCs from 1995 to 2012 were enrolled retrospectively using banked tumor samples and medical record abstraction. Incident HNSCCs from 2013 to 2019 were enrolled prospectively. The prevalence of tumor HPV biomarkers was tested over 3 time periods (1995‐2003, 2004‐2012, and 2013‐2019). Centralized testing was done for p16 immunohistochemistry (p16) and oncogenic HPV in situ hybridization (ISH).

RESULTS

A total of 1209 incident cases of HNSCC were included. Prevalence of p16‐ and ISH‐positive tumors increased significantly for oropharynx cancers over time. The majority were positive after 2013 for White patients (p16, 92%; P < .001; ISH 94%; P < .001), Black patients (p16, 72%; P = .021; ISH 67%; P = .011), and Hispanic patients (p16, 100%; P = .04; ISH 100%; P = .013). For women with OPSCC, the prevalence of p16‐ and ISH‐positive tumors increased significantly to 82% (P < .001) and 78% (P = .004), respectively. For non‐OPSCCs, there was increased p16 and ISH positivity overall with 24% p16 and 16% ISH positivity in the most recent time period (P < .001 for both).

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of OPSCCs in US tertiary care centers are now p16 and ISH positive for all sex and race groups. In some populations in the United States, 91% of OPSCCs are now caused by HPV. Few non‐OPSCCs are p16 and ISH positive.

This study evaluates the prevalence of p16 and in situ hybridization positivity in head and neck cancers over time. This study shows an increase in prevalence over time among women and non‐Whites, 2 groups that are understudied in the epidemiology of human papillomavirus.

NSAIDs Overcome PIK3CA Mutation-Mediated Resistance to EGFR Inhibition in Head and Neck Cancer Preclinical Models

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) but remain under active clinical investigation for the treatment of both newly diagnosed and recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Despite EGFR expression in the majority of HNSCC tumors, the levels of total or phosphorylated EGFR have not consistently been correlated with a response to EGFR targeting agents. The lack of predictive biomarkers represents a major obstacle to successful use of these drugs. Activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling by mutation of the PIK3CA oncogene represents a plausible mechanism for EGFR inhibitor drug resistance. We compared the impact of EGFR inhibitors, alone or in combination with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), in preclinical HNSCC models harboring mutant versus wild-type PIK3CA. Our results demonstrate additive or synergistic effects of NSAIDs and EGFR inhibitors in vitro and in vivo in PIK3CA-mutated HNSCC models. These findings suggest that the addition of NSAIDs to EGFR inhibitors for the treatment of HNSCC may represent a promising therapeutic strategy in PIK3CA-mutated cancers.

Risk of Pathologic Extranodal Extension and Other Adverse Features After Transoral Robotic Surgery in Patients With HPV-Positive Oropharynx Cancer

Importance

Understanding patient-specific risk of adverse histopathologic findings after primary surgery for human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive oropharynx squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) may help guide patient consultations.

Objective

To determine the likelihood of adverse histopathologic features that may indicate adjuvant radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy after primary surgery for HPV-positive OPSCC according to 2021 National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This retrospective cohort study was performed at a single academic tertiary care center. Of 258 patients who underwent transoral robotic surgery (TORS) from March 1, 2012, to March 1, 2021, 136 consecutive, treatment-naive patients with HPV-positive OPSCC without obvious clinical extranodal extension (ENE) who underwent definitive TORS and neck dissection were included in the analysis. Indications for surgical treatment included non-deeply infiltrative oropharynx tumors, minimal soft palate involvement, and low suspicion for pathologic ENE.

Exposures

Primary site TORS with neck dissection.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcomes were the adverse histopathologic features of pathologic ENE and positive surgical margins (PSM) that are indications for possible adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Outcomes were compared among varying American Joint Committee on Cancer 7th edition (AJCC-7) T and N categories and patient clinical characteristics.

Results

Of the 136 patients included in the analysis (113 men [83.1%]; median age, 63 [interquartile range, 55-70] years), 109 (80.1%) had at least 1 indication for possible adjuvant radiotherapy. Twenty-seven patients (19.9%) had pathologic ENE and 10 (7.3%) had PSM. Thirty-four patients (25.0%) had pathologic ENE and/or PSM, whereas 3 (2.2%) had both. Age, smoking history, history of alcohol consumption, and clinical T category were not associated with pathologic ENE, PSM, lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, or pN2 category or greater. The proportion of pathologic ENE varied by clinical N category: 0 of 16 for cN0, 8 of 48 (16.7%) for cN1, 3 of 23 (13.0%) for cN2a, and 16 of 45 (35.6%) for cN2b. Compared with patients with cN1-cN2a disease, patients with cN2b disease had higher odds of pathologic ENE (odds ratio, 3.01; 95% CI, 1.14-8.10). Clinical and pathologic N category were concordant in 77 patients (56.6%), whereas 42 (30.9%) were upstaged and 17 (12.5%) were downstaged.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this cohort study, approximately one-quarter of carefully selected patients with HPV-positive OPSCC without obvious clinical ENE undergoing primary surgery had pathologic ENE and/or PSM. Patients with AJCC-7 cT0-cT2 cN0-cN2b disease, especially cN0-cN2a, without signs of clinical ENE may represent appropriate candidates for primary surgery when avoidance of adjuvant chemotherapy and/or reduction of adjuvant radiotherapy dose/extent are the goals.

A prospective study of patient-reported xerostomia-related outcomes after parotidectomy

OBJECTIVE

There is a paucity of data on patient-reported outcome measures regarding xerostomia after parotidectomy surgery. Although salivary flow rates after parotidectomy have been previously studied, they do not correlate with subjective xerostomia. This study was designed to evaluate if unilateral parotidectomy increases patient-reported xerostomia.

METHODS

A prospective cohort of patients undergoing unilateral partial, superficial, or total parotidectomy for benign or low-grade malignant pathology without postoperative radiation at a tertiary care academic center was studied. We analyzed patient-reported outcome measures of xerostomia using the Xerostomia Questionnaire (XQ) preoperatively and postoperatively. We compared pre- and postoperative cumulative and individual XQ scores using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. We stratified patients by the weight in grams (g) of the parotid tissue excised, pathology, smoking status, and xerostomia-related medication use.

RESULTS

Twenty-two adults with benign or low grade malignant unilateral parotid tumors were included. Postoperative questionnaires were completed at a median of 10.2 months (interquartile range [IQR] 8.6-11.9) after unilateral parotidectomy. Mean preoperative and postoperative cumulative XQ scores, on a 100-point scale, with higher scores representing worse symptoms, were 10.33 (95% CI: 4.46-16.20) and 10.54 (95% CI: 5.10-15.98), respectively, with a mean change of +0.21 (p = 0.472). There were no statistically significant changes in individual XQ symptom scores. Neither type of parotidectomy, resection specimens weighing over 10 g, smoking habits, xerostomia-related medication use, nor malignant pathology were associated with worse symptom scores.

CONCLUSION

Based on these data, unilateral parotidectomy does not appear to definitely, or at least consistently, increase xerostomia per patient reporting. More extensive parotid resections are not associated with worse symptom scores. These data can help guide preoperative counseling and postoperative expectations for parotidectomy.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

2b.

Impact of Smoking and Primary Tumor Subsite on Recurrence in HPV-Associated Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

To describe risk of recurrence and recurrence characteristics between ever- and never-smoking patients with human papillomavirus-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPV+ OPSCC) when stratified by primary tumor subsite.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective observational study.

SETTING

Tertiary care center.

METHODS

Retrospective chart review of 171 patients with HPV+ OPSCC with primary treatment between 2008 and 2019. Five-year recurrence-free survival and risk of recurrence were evaluated through Kaplan-Meier curves with log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards models, respectively.

RESULTS

Of 171 patients with HPV+ OPSCC, 81.9% were male, and the average age was 63.9 years. Eighty patients (46.8%) had a smoking history (average, 17.7 pack-years), including 4 current smokers. Recurrence occurred in 31 patients (18.1%), 19 of whom were ever smokers. The recurrence rate for ever smokers with primary base of tongue (BOT) cancer was 41.7%, while 5.1% of never smokers with BOT primaries had recurrence. For primary tonsillar disease, 9.1% of ever smokers had recurrence versus 19.2% of never smokers. Five-year recurrence-free survival for BOT primaries was lower in ever smokers than never smokers (P = .001) but did not differ between ever and never smokers for tonsillar primaries (P = .215). In multivariable analysis across this period, ever-smoking status was associated with higher risk of recurrence than never-smoking status in BOT primaries (adjusted hazard ratio, 7.36; 95% CI, 1.61-33.68; P = .010) but with lower risk of recurrence after tonsillar primaries (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.06-0.89; P = .033).

CONCLUSION

Smoking may uniquely interact with tumor subsites within the oropharynx to influence recurrence risk. Understanding the association between smoking and HPV+ OPSCC recurrence could lead to personalized, evidence-based treatments to improve oncologic outcomes.

Molecular Markers that Matter in Salivary Malignancy

Despite aggressive initial interventions, recurrent/metastatic salivary gland cancer is not uncommon. Standard chemotherapy has not been shown to have durable clinical benefits. Several potential molecular markers have been identified in different histologic subtypes of salivary cancers. The objective of this review is to highlight the molecular markers that have been targeted in clinical trials for salivary gland cancers.

Parapharyngeal tuberculoid mass: A rare complication of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin therapy for urothelial carcinoma in situ

Local and systemic complications of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin therapy are important to recognize as they require prolonged antimicrobial therapy; molecular genomic testing may be key to diagnosis when culture data are inconclusive.

Oncologic outcomes of human papillomavirus-associated oropharynx carcinoma treated with surgery alone: A 12-institution study of 344 patients

BACKGROUND

The oncologic outcomes of surgery alone for patients with American Joint Committee on Cancer 7th edition (AJCC 7th) pN2a and pN2b human papillomavirus-associated oropharynx squamous cell carcinoma (HPV+OPSCC) are not clear.

METHODS

The authors performed a 12-institution retrospective study of 344 consecutive patients with HPV+OPSCC (AJCC 7th pT0-3 N3 M0) treated with surgery alone with 6 months or more of follow-up using univariate and multivariate analyses.

RESULTS

The 2-year outcomes for the entire cohort were 91% (182 of 200) disease-free survival (DFS), 100% (200 of 200) disease-specific survival (DSS), and 98% (200 of 204) overall survival (OS). The 18 recurrences within 2 years were 88.9% (16 of 18) local and/or regional recurrences and 11.1% (2 of 18) distant metastases. Recurrences were not significantly associated with smoking, pT stage, or pN stage. The 16 patients with locoregional recurrences within 2 years all underwent successful salvage treatments (median follow-up after salvage: 13.1 months), 43.8% (7 of 16) of whom underwent salvage surgery alone for a 2-year overall salvage radiation need of 4.5% (9 of 200). The 2-year outcomes for the 59 evaluable patients among the 109 AJCC 7th pT0-2 N2a-N2b patients with 1 to 3 pathologic lymph nodes (LNs) were as follows: local recurrence, 3.4% (2 of 59); regional recurrence, 8.4% (5 of 59); distant metastases, 0%; DFS, 88.1% (52 of 59); DSS, 100% (59 of 59); OS, 96.7% (59 of 61); and salvage radiation, 5.1% (3 of 59).

CONCLUSIONS

With careful selection, surgery alone for AJCC 7th pT0-T2N0-N2b HPV+OPSCC with zero to 3 pathologic LNs without perineural invasion, extranodal extension, or positive margins results in high DFS, DSS, OS, and salvage treatment success. Because of the short-term follow-up, these data support further investigation of treatment de-escalation in this population.

Nasogastric tube feeding after transoral robotic surgery for oropharynx carcinoma

PURPOSE

To determine the need for and predictors of nasogastric tube feeding (NGTF) use and duration after transoral robotic surgery (TORS) for oropharynx squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study. For 95 OPSCC patients undergoing TORS with or without concurrent unilateral or bilateral neck dissections (ND), we evaluated NGTF use and duration, along with demographic, clinical, histopathologic, and treatment risk factors.

RESULTS

23.2% (22/95) of patients received NGTF. Univariate analysis found that NGTF was significantly more likely in larger tumor specimens (mean: 2.32 cm vs. 1.84 cm; p = 0.043) and after concurrent bilateral (46.7%) compared to unilateral (17.4%) ND (p = 0.043). Multivariable analysis also found increased tumor size (p = 0.035) and concurrent bilateral ND (p = 0.04) to be significant risk factors for NGTF. The following were not statistically significantly associated with NGTF use: sex, age, smoking history, HPV status, base of tongue (BOT) resection (20%) vs. radical tonsillectomy (25.9%), pT2 (27.0%) vs. pT1 (20.4%) vs pT0 (16.7%), BOT with (28.6%) vs. without epiglottis resection (22.2%), and surgery for additional margins the same day (27.3%) (all p > 0.1). Patients who underwent NGTF had a mean duration of 18 days (2-96, SD: 20.7 days) with 12 (55.6%) having over 2 weeks of use. No significant predictors of longer duration of NGTF were identified.

CONCLUSIONS

A majority of patients undergoing TORS do not need NGTF. When NGTF is needed, the duration of use is usually longer than 14 days. Larger tumor size and concurrent bilateral ND are risk factors for NGTF.

Patient-Reported Outcomes of Split-Thickness Skin Grafts for Floor of Mouth Cancer Reconstruction

INTRODUCTION

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROM) on quality of life (QOL) for early-stage floor of mouth carcinoma (FOM-CA) undergoing surgical resection and split-thickness skin graft (STSG) reconstruction have not been established. We have performed a cross-sectional QOL analysis of such patients to define functional postoperative outcomes.

METHODS

Patients with pathologic stage T1/T2 FOM-CA who underwent resection and STSG reconstruction at a tertiary academic cancer center reported outcomes with the University of Washington QOL (v4) questionnaire after at least 6 months since surgery.

RESULTS

Twenty-four out of 49 eligible patients completed questionnaires with a mean follow-up of 41 months (range: 6-88). Subsites of tumor involvement/resection included the following: (1) lateral FOM (L-FOM) (n = 17), (2) anterior FOM (A-FOM) (n = 4), and (3) alveolar ridge with FOM, all of whom underwent lateral marginal mandibulectomy (MM-FOM) (n = 3). All patients reported swallowing scores of 70 ("I cannot swallow certain solid foods") or better. Ninety-six percent (23/24) reported speech of 70 ("difficulty saying some words, but I can be understood over the phone") or better. A-FOM patients reported worse chewing than L-FOM patients (mean: 50.0 vs. 85.3; p = 0.01). All 4 A-FOM patients reported a low chewing score of 50 ("I can eat soft solids but cannot chew some foods"). Otherwise, there were no significant differences between subsite groups in swallowing, speech, or taste.

CONCLUSION

STSG reconstructions for pathologic T1-T2 FOM-CA appear to result in acceptable PROM QOL outcomes with the exception of A-FOM tumors having worse chewing outcomes.

Newly Identified Members of FGFR1 Splice Variants Engage in Cross-talk with AXL/AKT Axis in Salivary Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is the second most common malignancy of the salivary gland. Although characterized as an indolent tumor, ACC often leads to incurable metastatic disease. Patients with ACC respond poorly to currently available therapeutic drugs and factors contributing to the limited response remain unknown. Determining the role of molecular alterations frequently occurring in ACC may clarify ACC tumorigenesis and advance the development of effective treatment strategies. Applying Splice Expression Variant Analysis and outlier statistics on RNA sequencing of primary ACC tumors and matched normal salivary gland tissues, we identified multiple alternative splicing events (ASE) of genes specific to ACC. In ACC cells and patient-derived xenografts, FGFR1 was a uniquely expressed ASE. Detailed PCR analysis identified three novel, truncated, intracellular domain-lacking FGFR1 variants (FGFR1v). Cloning and expression analysis suggest that the three FGFR1v are cell surface proteins, that expression of FGFR1v augmented pAKT activity, and that cells became more resistant to pharmacologic FGFR1 inhibitor. FGFR1v-induced AKT activation was associated with AXL function, and inhibition of AXL activity in FGFR1v knockdown cells led to enhanced cytotoxicity in ACC. Moreover, cell killing effect was increased by dual inhibition of AXL and FGFR1 in ACC cells. This study demonstrates that these previously undescribed FGFR1v cooperate with AXL and desensitize cells to FGFR1 inhibitor, which supports further investigation into combined FGFR1 and AXL inhibition as an effective ACC therapy.This study identifies several FGFR1 variants that function through the AXL/AKT signaling pathway independent of FGF/FGFR1, desensitizing cells to FGFR1 inhibitor suggestive of a potential resistance mechanism in ACC. SIGNIFICANCE: This study identifies several FGFR1 variants that function through the AXL/AKT signaling pathway independent of FGF/FGFR1, desensitizing cells to FGFR1 inhibitor, suggestive of a potential resistance mechanism in ACC.

De-intensification strategies in HPV-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma-a narrative review

Human papillomavirus-related (HPV+) oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is a relatively new clinical entity that is dramatically on the rise globally. HPV+ OPSCC is thought to be a separate clinical entity compared to HPV− OPSCC with a distinct tumor biology. Patients with HPV associated disease have been shown to have a substantially better prognosis and overall survival than those patients with the HPV negative (HPV−) counterpart. The standard of care for OPSCC is definitive radiation therapy (RT) and concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CRT), for lower and higher stage disease, respectively. However, traditional CRT is also associated with severe acute and late toxicities affecting patient quality of life, such as severe mucositis, dry mouth and dysphagia. Considering that HPV+ OPSCC is on the rise in a younger, healthier patient population and the good prognosis of HPV-related disease, there has been a focus on reducing treatment toxicities and optimizing quality of life while maintaining favorable oncologic outcomes. A variety of such de-escalation regimens are currently being explored in recently completed and ongoing clinical trials. Alterations to the standard chemotherapy, radiation and surgical regimens are being explored. This review will provide an overview of the rationale for and available results of the major de-intensification strategies in the treatment of locally advanced HPV+ OPSCC.

Head and neck surgery during the coronavirus-19 pandemic: The University of California San Francisco experience

BACKGROUND

Guidelines regarding head and neck surgical care have evolved during the coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. Data on operative management have been limited.

METHODS

We compared two cohorts of patients undergoing head and neck or reconstructive surgery between March 16, 2019 and April 16, 2019 (pre-COVID-19) and March 16, 2020 and April 16, 2020 (COVID-19) at an academic center. Perioperative, intraoperative, and postoperative outcomes were recorded.

RESULTS

There were 63 operations during COVID-19 and 84 operations during pre-COVID-19. During COVID-19, a smaller proportion of patients had benign pathology (12% vs 20%, respectively) and underwent thyroid procedures (2% vs 23%) while a greater proportion of patients underwent microvascular reconstruction±ablation (24% vs 12%,). Operative times increased, especially among patients undergoing microvascular reconstruction±ablation (687 ± 112 vs 596 ± 91 minutes, P = .04). Complication rates and length of stay were similar.

CONCLUSIONS

During COVID-19, perioperative outcomes were similar, operative time increased, and there were no recorded transmissions to staff or patients. Continued surgical management of head and neck cancer patients can be provided safely.

PET/CT in Surgical Planning for Head and Neck Cancer

Fluorine-18 (¹⁸F)-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography fused with computed tomography (PET/CT) is a valuable tool in surgical planning for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). If performed prior to biopsy or other surgical intervention, FDG-PET/CT has high sensitivity for the detection of the primary site in patients with cervical lymph node metastases from unknown primary origin and can be used to direct the surgical workup. FDG-PET/CT is superior to CT alone for detection of nodal metastases outside the expected pattern or distant metastases or second primary cancers and can greatly affect determination of appropriate management including surgical eligibility. Prior to the advent of PET/CT, many patients undergoing (chemo)radiation-based therapy had planned post-treatment neck dissection; FDG-PET/CT now has a proven role in the evaluation of recurrent or persistent disease amenable to salvage surgery and enables safe avoidance of planned postradiation neck dissection with a high negative predictive value. Specifically for this important application, two standardized reporting metrics may be used in the head and neck anatomic region: the "Hopkins criteria" and the "Neck Imaging Reporting and Data System"; both systems produce a formalized evaluation and recommendation based on PET/CT findings. The role of PET/CT as a replacement for elective neck dissection or examination under anesthesia remains controversial but deserves further study. FDG-PET/CT has a wide-ranging impact on the surgical management of patients with HNSCC and should be used routinely in patients with unknown primary nodal disease and those presenting with advanced-stage cancers at initial staging and to assess treatment response.

Abstract A27: Differential protein-interactome of MYB-NF1B fusion in adenoid cystic carcinoma

Chromosomal translocations occur frequently in adenoid cystic carcinomas (ACC). In salivary gland ACC, the commonly identified rearrangement occurs at chromosome t(6:9), resulting in the fusion of the transcription factor genes, MYB and NF1B. The gene fusion encoding a chimeric MYB-NF1B is a unique genetic feature, regarded as a hallmark in ACC carcinogenesis. Although MYB-NF1B may be involved in the deregulation of MYB expression and its downstream gene targets, the precise role of MYB-NF1B in the development and maintenance of ACC remains to be clearly defined. Here, we engineered an inducible system to express either MYB or MYB-NF1B in ACC-01 cells, which express low levels of endogenous MYB but not MYB-NF1B, to study the molecular and mechanistic role of MYB-NF1B. Immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry analysis revealed the presence of previously unreported MYB- and MYB-NF1B-interacting partners, including vimentin and nuclear myosin (MYO1C). These interactions were positively validated in several patient-derived xenograft models of ACC. Interestingly, MYB and MYB-NF1B interaction with vimentin and MYO1C appeared to be differentially regulated, and altering vimentin expression reduces MYB levels, while maintaining relatively steady levels of MYB-NF1B. MYO1C is involved in transcriptional regulation, and altered MYB-NF1B binding activity with nuclear myosin may modulate downstream gene targets. While detailed further study is needed, these findings suggest a potential distinct function of MYB-NF1B that may play an important role in ACC pathogenesis.

Citation Format: Joseph O. Humtsoe, Hyun-Su Kim, Margaret Soucheray, Danielle Swaney, Patrick K. Ha. Differential protein-interactome of MYB-NF1B fusion in adenoid cystic carcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-AHNS Head and Neck Cancer Conference: Optimizing Survival and Quality of Life through Basic, Clinical, and Translational Research; 2019 Apr 29-30; Austin, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2020;26(12_Suppl_2):Abstract nr A27.

Modified technique of submandibular gland transfer followed by intensity modulated radiotherapy to reduce xerostomia in head and neck cancer patients

BACKGROUND

Xerostomia is one of the most common long-term adverse effects of radiotherapy for head and neck cancer patients. Contralateral submandibular gland transfer (SMG-T) before radiotherapy was shown to reduce xerostomia compared to pilocarpine. We sought to evaluate a modification of this surgery preserving the ipsilateral facial artery and vein to simplify the SMG-T.

METHODS

Eighteen patients planned for head and neck intensity modulated radiotherapy to both necks were reviewed. Surgical complications were recorded. The grade of xerostomia was assessed after treatment completion.

RESULTS

There were no minor or major complications resulting from the modified SMG-T. At 24.5-months follow up, the incidence of post-treatment moderate to severe xerostomia was 16.7%. No locoregional recurrence occurred. Only one patient had distant solitary lung metastasis.

CONCLUSION

The modified SMG-T technique is a practical and effective method to reduce the dose of radiation to the contralateral SMG and limit post-treatment xerostomia.

Improved Tumor Control Related to Radiotherapy Technological Development for Hypopharyngeal Cancer

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS

Squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx (SCCHP) is associated with worse survival compared to other head and neck subsites. This report quantifies the impact of technological improvements in radiotherapy (RT) on outcomes over 6 decades.

METHODS

Patients with SCCHP receiving curative-intent treatment between 1962 and 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. Kaplan-Meier analyses of freedom from local recurrence (FFLR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were compared across treatment eras and radiation techniques. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards modeling was performed to specify the effect of RT technique.

RESULTS

One hundred thirty-four patients had a median follow-up of 17 months (IQR = 9-38). There were no differences in staging or use of surgery over time, but use of chemotherapy concurrent with RT increased (P < .001) beginning in the 2000s. The 24-month FFLR using two-dimensional RT (2D-RT), three-dimensional conformal RT (3D-CRT), and intensity-modulated RT (IMRT) was 52%, 55%, and 80%, respectively; 24-month PFS was 39%, 46%, and 73%, respectively; and 24-month OS was 27%, 40%, and 68%, respectively. OS (P = .01), PFS (P = .03), and FFLR (P = 0.02) were improved with IMRT over 2D-RT, and FFLR appeared to be improved over 3D-CRT (P = .06). Controlling for chemotherapy use and other major variables, IMRT produced a strong influence over FFLR (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 0.2, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.0-1.2, P = .08) and a benefit in OS (adjusted HR = 0.1, 95% CI: 0.0-0.4, P = .005).

CONCLUSIONS

Across 6 decades, patient and tumor characteristics remained similar whereas use of chemoradiation increased and IMRT was adopted. The introduction of IMRT was associated with improved FFLR, PFS, and OS, and a reduction in acute toxicity as compared to earlier radiation technologies.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4 Laryngoscope, 131:E452-E458, 2021.

Patient-Reported Quality of Life After Resection With Primary Closure for Oral Tongue Carcinoma

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS

For early-stage oral tongue carcinoma and carcinoma in situ (ESOTCCIS), we evaluated patient-reported quality-of-life (QOL) outcomes following resection with primary closure (R-PC).

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective review at an academic cancer center.

METHODS

Thirty-nine ESOTCCIS patients (Tis, T1, T2) who underwent R-PC without radiation completed the University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire Version 4 (UW-QOL) at least 6 months since R-PC (mean = 2.39 years; range = 0.5-6.7 years). We compared UW-QOL scores for pain, swallowing, chewing, speech, and taste to established normative population scores. Multivariable regression analysis evaluated factors associated with QOL impairment.

RESULTS

ESOTCCIS patients who underwent R-PC in comparison to the normative population reported significantly worse mean speech (87.7 vs. 98, P < .001) and taste (85.6 vs. 95, P = .002) scores and no significant differences in mean pain (91.7 vs. 86, P = .96), swallowing (100 vs. 98, P = .98), chewing (97.4 vs. 94, P = .98) scores. For speech and taste, 59% (23/39) reported no postoperative change from baseline, whereas 41% (16/39) and 35.9% (14/39) reported mild impairment, respectively. Overall, postoperative QOL was reported as good, very good, or outstanding by 87.2% (34/39). Higher American Society of Anesthesiologists class, cT1 compared to CIS, and ventral tongue involvement were independently associated with worse speech. Age < 60 years was independently associated with worse taste.

CONCLUSIONS

ESOTCCIS patients who undergo R-PC without radiation can expect long-term swallowing, chewing, and pain to be in the normative range. Although a majority of patients can expect to achieve normative speech and taste outcomes, R-PC carries the risks of mild speech and/or taste impairments.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4 Laryngoscope, 131:312-318, 2021.

HPV-positive Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx, Oral Cavity, and Hypopharynx: Clinicopathologic Characterization With Recognition of a Novel Warty Variant

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a principal driver for most oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCCs), where it is strongly associated with improved survival. HPV is much less frequently detected in squamous cell carcinomas arising in nonoropharyngeal sites (non-OPSCCs), and its pathogenic role and prognostic value in these tumors is unclear. We evaluated the clinicopathologic features of 52 non-OPSCCs considered HPV-positive based upon p16 immunohistochemistry and direct HPV detection using RNA in situ hybridization (ISH), DNA ISH, or real-time DNA polymerase chain reaction. The HPV-positive non-OPSCCs were from the larynx (n=27), oral cavity (n=21), and hypopharynx (n=4). While most cases (n=34, 65%) showed classic histologic features of HPV-positive OPSCC, including endophytic growth, minimal keratinization, and hyperchromatic nuclei without koilocytic changes, a subset (n=13, 25%) were characterized by exophytic growth, exuberant surface hyperkeratosis and parakeratosis, marked nuclear pleomorphism, and prominent koilocytic atypia. These antithetical features were highly reminiscent of the warty variant of HPV-positive squamous cell carcinoma described in anogenital sites. Compared with tumors without warty features, the warty tumors presented at lower stage and were not associated with lymph node metastasis, local recurrence, or distant spread (4 y disease-free survival of 100% vs. 66%, P=0.069). The presence of transcriptionally active HPV as detected by RNA ISH suggests a pathogenic role for HPV in these nonoropharyngeal sites. While most HPV-positive non-OPSCCs are morphologically similar to their tonsillar counterparts, this study highlights a previously unrecognized warty variant that may be associated with a highly favorable clinical outcome.

Risk factors for human papillomavirus-positive nonoropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive oropharyngeal cancer (HPV-OPC) is distinct from HPV-unassociated head and neck cancer. However, whether risk factors for HPV-positive oropharyngeal and nonoropharyngeal squamous cell cancer are the same is unclear.

METHODS

Incident cases of HPV-positive head and neck cell cancer and matched non-cancer controls were enrolled in a multi-institutional, prospective study examining risk factors, biomarkers, and survival.

RESULTS

HPV-nonOPC (n = 20) were more likely to be ever smokers than controls (n = 80, OR 3.49, 95%CI 1.11-10.9) and HPV-OPC (n = 185, OR 3.28, 95%CI 1.10-10.2). Compared with HPV-OPC, HPV-nonOPC were less likely to have had over 3 oral sexual partners (OR 0.29, 95%CI 0.06-0.9), more likely to have multimorbidity (OR 3.30, 95%CI 1.04-10.5), and less likely to have antibodies to HPV16 E6 (90% vs 28%, OR 0.05, 95%CI 0.02-0.2). HPV-nonOPC had worse 4-year OS (77% vs 96%, P = .001) and RFS (69% vs 94%, P < .001) than HPV-OPC.

CONCLUSIONS

HPV-positive nonoropharyngeal are distinct from HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancers.

Splice Expression Variation Analysis (SEVA) for inter-tumor heterogeneity of gene isoform usage in cancer

Motivation

Current bioinformatics methods to detect changes in gene isoform usage in distinct phenotypes compare the relative expected isoform usage in phenotypes. These statistics model differences in isoform usage in normal tissues, which have stable regulation of gene splicing. Pathological conditions, such as cancer, can have broken regulation of splicing that increases the heterogeneity of the expression of splice variants. Inferring events with such differential heterogeneity in gene isoform usage requires new statistical approaches.

Results

We introduce Splice Expression Variability Analysis (SEVA) to model increased heterogeneity of splice variant usage between conditions (e.g. tumor and normal samples). SEVA uses a rank-based multivariate statistic that compares the variability of junction expression profiles within one condition to the variability within another. Simulated data show that SEVA is unique in modeling heterogeneity of gene isoform usage, and benchmark SEVA's performance against EBSeq, DiffSplice and rMATS that model differential isoform usage instead of heterogeneity. We confirm the accuracy of SEVA in identifying known splice variants in head and neck cancer and perform cross-study validation of novel splice variants. A novel comparison of splice variant heterogeneity between subtypes of head and neck cancer demonstrated unanticipated similarity between the heterogeneity of gene isoform usage in HPV-positive and HPV-negative subtypes and anticipated increased heterogeneity among HPV-negative samples with mutations in genes that regulate the splice variant machinery. These results show that SEVA accurately models differential heterogeneity of gene isoform usage from RNA-seq data.

Availability and implementation

SEVA is implemented in the R/Bioconductor package GSReg.

Contact

bahman@jhu.edu or favorov@sensi.org or ejfertig@jhmi.edu.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Can Early Dental Extractions Reduce Delays in Postoperative Radiation for Patients With Advanced Oral Cavity Carcinoma?

PURPOSE

This study sought to evaluate the effect of early extractions on the timing of postoperative radiation (PORT) for patients with advanced oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma who required resection, free flap reconstruction, and dental extractions in a 10-year period were retrospectively reviewed. The study included patients who preoperatively had advanced disease that indicated the need for adjuvant radiation as defined by an advanced clinical T category (T3 or T4a) or clinical N category (N2a or above). Multivariate logistic regression models were created to estimate the risk factors for initiation of PORT greater than 6 weeks after surgery.

RESULTS

Thirty-four patients were included. Thirteen patients underwent early extractions (before or at the time of surgery). Twenty-one patients underwent extractions after surgery. Extractions included all teeth with periodontal disease within the expected field of radiation. Most patients underwent full-mouth extractions (91.1%). PORT was initiated at greater than 6 weeks in 30.8% of patients in the early cohort, whereas 72.4% of patients in the late group experienced a delay (P = .02). Early extractions were significantly associated with a decreased risk of PORT delay. No increase in operating room time occurred for patients who underwent same-day extractions.

CONCLUSIONS

Early involvement of the dental oncology department and oral-maxillofacial surgeons can aid in the timely delivery of care for patients with advanced oral cavity cancer.

Papillary cystadenoma of the parotid gland: A case report

BACKGROUND

Papillary cystadenoma is a rare benign epithelial tumor of the salivary gland, which is characterized by papillary structures and oncocytic cells with rich eosinophilic cytoplasm. We found only one case of papillary cystadenoma in nearly 700 cases of salivary gland tumors. Our case was initially mistaken for a tumor of the right temporomandibular joint (TMJ) capsule rather than of parotid gland origin. Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) should be carefully studied, which allows for appropriate preoperative counseling and operative planning.

CASE SUMMARY

Here, we report an unusual case of a 54-year-old woman with a parotid gland papillary cystadenoma (PGPC) that was misdiagnosed as a tumor of the right TMJ capsule. She was initially admitted to our hospital due to a mass anterior to her right ear inadvertently found 5 d ago. Preoperative CT and MRI revealed a well circumscribed tumor that was attached to the right TMJ capsule. The patient underwent a resection through an incision for TMJ, but evaluation of an intraoperative frozen section revealed a benign tumor of the parotid gland. Then we removed part of the parotid gland above the temporal facial trunk. The facial nerve was preserved. Postoperative histopathological findings revealed that the tumor was PGPC. No additional treatment was performed. There was no recurrence during a 20-mo follow-up period.

CONCLUSION

The integrity of the interstitial space around the condyle in MRI or CT should be carefully evaluated for parotid gland or TMJ tumors.

Socioeconomic disparities in a population of patients undergoing total thyroidectomy for benign disease

BACKGROUND

This study examines the effect of insurance status (as a measure of socioeconomic status) on patient with benign thyroid disease.

METHODS

A retrospective review was performed among 60 patients undergoing total thyroidectomy for benign thyroid disease. Univariate and multivariable analyses examined the relationship between insurance status and thyroid volume (sum of the left and right lobe volumes).

RESULTS

Twenty-eight (47%) patients were considered of underinsured/uninsured status, and 32 (53%) patients were considered of private/government/military insurance status. Median pathologic whole thyroid volume was 66 mL (range, 2-855). After multivariable linear regression, underinsured/uninsured status was the only significant predictor of larger volume (correlation coefficient [r] = 118; 95% CI, 42 to 194; P = .003), after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, and presence of concomitant thyroid disease and compressive symptoms.

CONCLUSION

Patients of underinsured/uninsured status suffered more severe disease presentations at time of thyroidectomy, as measured by larger thyroid volumes.

Human Papillomavirus–Associated Oropharyngeal Cancer: Patterns of Nodal Disease

Objective

To characterize patterns of neck lymph node (LN) metastases in human papillomavirus (HPV)–associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma, represented by p16 positivity (p16+OPSCC).

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

Tertiary care center.

Subjects and Methods

Neck dissection (ND) specimens of nonirradiated p16+OPSCC patients were analyzed for frequencies of clinically evident and occult LNs by neck level. Local, regional, and distant recurrences were reviewed.

Results

Seventy p16+OPSCC patients underwent primary site transoral robotic surgery and 82 NDs of varying levels. Metastatic pathologic LNs were found at the following frequencies: 0% (0/28) in level I, 75.6% (62/82) in level II with 57.4% (35/61) in level IIA and 13.1% (8/61) in level IIB, 22.0% (18/82) in level III, 7.0% (5/71) in level IV, and 6.3% (1/16) in level V. The level V LN was clinically evident preoperatively. Five of 21 (23.8%) elective NDs contained occult LNs, all of which were in level II and without extranodal extension. Twenty-seven (38.6%) patients underwent adjuvant radiation; 19 (27.1%) patients underwent adjuvant chemoradiation. With a mean follow-up of 29 months, 3 patients had developed recurrences, with all but 1 patient still alive. All patients who recurred had refused at least a component of indicated adjuvant treatment.

Conclusions

For p16+OPSCC, therapeutic NDs should encompass any levels bearing suspicious LNs and levels IIA-B, III, and IV, while elective NDs should be performed and encompass at least levels IIA-B and III. These selective ND plans, followed by indicated adjuvant treatment, are associated with a low nodal recurrence rate.

Advanced head and neck surgical techniques: A survey of US otolaryngology resident perspectives

OBJECTIVES

To assess the perspectives of OHNS residents with regards to their training in the following advanced head and neck surgery techniques: transoral robotic surgery (TORS), transoral laser microsurgery (TLM), sialendoscopy, and surgeon-performed ultrasound (SP-US) for possible curricula development.

METHODS

Cross-sectional survey. A 20-item questionnaire was electronically distributed to OHNS residency programs assessing volume of cases, training barriers, satisfaction, additional training preferences, and pertinence to future practice.

RESULTS

One hundred thirty-one residents completed the questionnaire. Trainee satisfaction with advanced techniques did not vary significantly with level of training (PGY) or intent to pursue fellowship. Residents who participated in more TLM, sialendoscopy, and SP-US cases were significantly more likely to be satisfied with their training (all p<0.05). The most frequently reported limitation to training was low home institution procedure volume. Seventy-eight of 123 respondents (63.4%) indicated insufficient opportunity to participate in TORS, with most residents reporting that TORS was preferentially performed by attendings (59/78, 75.6%). Forty-five of 126 (35.7%) reported having adequate access to skills training in TORS, compared to 43.6%, 48.4%, and 54.8% for sialendoscopy, TLM, and SP-US, respectively. A vast majority expressed interest in home institution-sponsored training courses in SP-US (120/127, 94.5%) and sialendoscopy (105/129, 81.4%). Many anticipated using SP-US (63.3%) and sialendoscopy (49.6%) in their future practices.

CONCLUSION

Greater resident participation in advanced head and neck surgical procedures is associated with higher trainee satisfaction. There is a possible need for additional home institution-sponsored training courses, especially in sialendoscopy and SP-US.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

N/A.

Subjugation of TGFβ Signaling by Human Papilloma Virus in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Shifts DNA Repair from Homologous Recombination to Alternative End Joining

PURPOSE

Following cytotoxic therapy, 70% of patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive oropharyngeal head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are alive at 5 years compared with 30% of those with similar HPV-negative cancer. Loss of TGFβ signaling is a poorly studied consequence of HPV that could contribute to patient outcome by compromising DNA repair.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

Human HNSCC cell lines (n = 9), patient-derived xenografts (n = 9), tissue microarray (n = 194), TCGA expression data (n = 279), and primary tumor specimens (n = 10) were used to define the relationship between TGFβ competency, response to DNA damage, and type of DNA repair.

RESULTS

Analysis of HNSCC specimens in situ and in vitro showed that HPV associated with loss of TGFβ signaling that increased response to radiation or cisplatin. TGFβ suppressed miR-182, which inhibited both BRCA1, necessary for homologous recombination repair (HRR), and FOXO3, required for ATM kinase activity. TGFβ signaling blockade by either HPV or inhibitors released miR182 control, compromised HRR and increased response to PARP inhibition. Antagonizing miR-182 rescued the HRR deficit in HPV-positive cells. Loss of TGFβ signaling unexpectedly increased repair by error prone, alternative end-joining (alt-EJ).

CONCLUSIONS

HPV-positive HNSCC cells are unresponsive to TGFβ. Abrogated TGFβ signaling compromises repair by HRR and increases reliance on alt-EJ, which provides a mechanistic basis for sensitivity to PARP inhibitors. The effect of HPV in HNSCC provides critical validation of TGFβ's role in DNA repair proficiency and further raises the translational potential of TGFβ inhibitors in cancer therapy.

Biochemical Properties of a Decoy Oligodeoxynucleotide Inhibitor of STAT3 Transcription Factor

Cyclic STAT3 decoy (CS3D) is a second-generation, double-stranded oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) that mimics a genomic response element for signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), an oncogenic transcription factor. CS3D competitively inhibits STAT3 binding to target gene promoters, resulting in decreased expression of proteins that promote cellular proliferation and survival. Previous studies have demonstrated antitumor activity of CS3D in preclinical models of solid tumors. However, prior to entering human clinical trials, the efficiency of generating the CS3D molecule and its stability in biological fluids should be determined. CS3D is synthesized as a single-stranded ODN and must have its free ends ligated to generate the final cyclic form. In this study, we report a ligation efficiency of nearly 95 percent. The ligated CS3D demonstrated a half-life of 7.9 h in human serum, indicating adequate stability for intravenous delivery. These results provide requisite biochemical characterization of CS3D that will inform upcoming clinical trials.

Increasing prevalence of human papillomavirus-positive oropharyngeal cancers among older adults

BACKGROUND

The incidence of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is increasing among older adults. It is unknown whether these trends can be explained by human papillomavirus (HPV) and whether HPV-related tumors remain associated with an improved prognosis among older patients.

METHODS

In a retrospective study of OPSCCs diagnosed from 1995 to 2013 at 2 National Comprehensive Cancer Network-designated cancer centers, p16 immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization (ISH) for HPV-16, high-risk DNA, and/or E6/E7 RNA were performed. The median age at diagnosis was compared by p16 and ISH tumor status. Trends in age were analyzed with nonparametric trends. Survival was analyzed with the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards models.

RESULTS

Among 239 patients, 144 (60%) were p16-positive. During 1998-2013, the median age increased among p16-positive patients (P_trend = .01) but not among p16-negative patients (P_trend = .71). The median age of p16-positive patients increased from 53 years (interquartile range [IQR] in 1995-2000, 45-65 years) to 58 years (IQR for 2001-2013, 53-64 years). Among patients ≥ 65 years old, the proportion of OPSCCs that were p16-positive increased from 41% during 1995-2000 to 75% during 2007-2013 (P_trend = .04). Among all age groups, including older patients, a p16-positive tumor status conferred improved overall survival in comparison with a p16-negative status.

CONCLUSIONS

The median age at diagnosis for HPV-related OPSCC is increasing as the proportion of OPSCCs caused by HPV rises among older adults. The favorable survival conferred by an HPV-positive tumor status persists in older adults. Cancer 2018;124:2993-9. © 2018 American Cancer Society.

Mortality risk after clinical management of recurrent and metastatic adenoid cystic carcinoma

Background

Management of locoregional recurrence (LRR) and distant metastasis (DM) in adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is guided by limited data. We investigated mortality risks in patients diagnosed and treated for recurrent ACC.

Methods

A retrospective review of ACC patients treated from 1989 to 2016 identified 36 patients with LRR or DM. High-risk disease was defined as skull base involvement (for LRR) or International Registry of Lung Metastases Group III/IV or extrapulmonary site of metastasis (for DM). Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank tests, and Cox proportional hazards were used for time-to-event analysis.

Results

Among 20 LRR and 16 DM patients, the median times to recurrence were 51 and 50 months, respectively. The median follow-up post-recurrence was 37.5 months (interquartile range (IQR)16.5–56.5). Post-recurrence 3-year overall survival (OS) was 78.5%, 73.3% for LRR and 85.1% for DM (p = 0.62). High-risk recurrences were associated with worse 3-year OS (68.8% for high-risk and 92.3% for low-risk, χ2 = 10.4, p = 0.001).

Among LRR patients, 90% had surgery as part of their treatment. Multimodality therapy, age, and histopathologic features (size, margins, solid histology, lymphovascular or perineural invasion) were not associated with PFS or OS. High-risk LRR was the only variable associated with OS (χ2 = 5.9, p = 0.01).

Among DM patients, six were initially managed with observation and ten received surgery, RT, or systemic therapy. Upfront therapy was not associated with improved PFS or OS. High-risk DM was the only variable associated with OS (χ2 = 4.7, p = 0.03).

Conclusions

High-risk LRR and DM were associated with decreased 3-year OS. More effective therapies are needed for high-risk ACC recurrences.

Submandibular Gland Transfer: A Potential Imaging Pitfall

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The Seikaly and Jha submandibular gland transfer surgery is performed to facilitate gland shielding during radiation therapy for head and neck tumors to circumvent radiation-induced xerostomia. It results in an asymmetric postsurgical appearance of the submandibular and submental spaces. Our purpose was to characterize the morphologic and enhancement characteristics of the transferred submandibular gland and identify potential pitfalls in postoperative radiologic interpretation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective study identified patients with head and neck cancer who had undergone the submandibular gland transfer procedure at our institution. Chart reviews were performed to identify relevant oncologic histories and therapies. CT and MR neck imaging was reviewed to characterize morphologic and enhancement characteristics of the pre- and postoperative submandibular glands, as well as interpretive accuracy.

RESULTS

Eleven patients with oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas who underwent submandibular gland transfer were identified. The transferred glands were significantly lengthened in the anteroposterior dimension compared with contralateral glands (P < .001) and displaced anteriorly and inferiorly within the submandibular and submental spaces. Enhancement patterns of the transferred submandibular glands varied, depending on the time of imaging relative to the operation and radiation therapy. Submandibular gland transfer was acknowledged in the postoperative report in 7/11 cases. Errors in interpretation were present in 2/11 reports.

CONCLUSIONS

After the submandibular gland transfer procedure, the submandibular and submental spaces lose their symmetric appearances as the transferred submandibular glands become lengthened and located more anteriorly and inferiorly, with variable enhancement characteristics. Familiarity with the postsurgical appearance of the transferred submandibular glands is key to accurate imaging interpretation.

Prognostic factors for human papillomavirus-positive and negative oropharyngeal carcinomas

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS

Human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive and HPV-negative oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) are distinct disease entities. Prognostic factors specific to each entity have not been adequately explored. Goals for this study were: 1) to determine whether HPV-positive and HPV-negative OPSCCs have distinct prognostic factors, and 2) to explore the prognostic significance of sex and race in OPSCC after HPV stratification STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case series.

METHODS

A retrospective review of 239 incident OPSCC patients from 1995 to 2012, treated at Johns Hopkins and University of California-San Francisco was conducted. Women and nonwhite races were oversampled. All analyses were stratified by tumor HPV in situ hybridization status. The effects of sex and race on survival were considered in Kaplan-Meier and unadjusted and adjusted Cox regression models.

RESULTS

One hundred thirty-four (56.1%) OPSCC patients were HPV positive. On univariate analysis, women had better overall survival than men among HPV-positive (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.47, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.20-1.07; P = .06) but not HPV-negative (HR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.43-1.24; P = .24) OPSCCs. On multivariate analysis, women with HPV-positive OPSCCs remained at lower risk of death (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.12-0.96; P = .04). Survival did not vary significantly by race among HPV-positive patients. Among HPV-negative patients, Hispanic patients had significantly better survival in unadjusted (HR: 0.27, 95% CI: 0.08-0.91; P = .04) but not adjusted (aHR: 0.93, 95% CI: 0.11-7.36; P = .94) analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Women with HPV-positive OPSCC may have improved overall survival compared to men. Sex does not play a prognostic role in HPV-negative OPSCC. There are no differences in prognosis by race among HPV-positive or HPV-negative patients.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4 Laryngoscope, E287-E295, 2018.