Long-Term Outcomes of Olfactory Neuroblastoma: MD Anderson Cancer Center Experience and Review of the Literature

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS

Olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB) is a rare sinonasal malignant neoplasm that is known to develop late recurrence. The aim of this study is to evaluate the long-term outcomes of patients with ONB and to determine the factors associated with prognosis.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective study.

METHODS

A retrospective review of the medical records of 139 patients diagnosed with ONB at MD Anderson Cancer Center was performed between 1991 and 2016. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and Kaplan-Meier curves were utilized to assess survival.

RESULTS

Median follow-up time was 75 months. Overall, 129 patients (92.8%) had surgery as part of their treatment and 82 (58.9%) patients received postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) or concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Endoscopic approaches were utilized for 72 patients, 69.4% of whom had pure endoscopic endonasal approaches. Five-year overall survival and disease-specific survival were 85.6% and 93.4%, respectively. Recurrence rate was 39.6% with a median time to recurrence of 42 months. Among the 31 patients who received elective nodal irradiation (ENI), two patients developed neck recurrence (6.4%) compared with 20 who developed neck recurrence when ENI was omitted (34.4%) (P = .003). Advanced Kadish stage, orbital invasion, intracranial invasion, and presence of cervical lymphadenopathy at the time of presentation were significantly associated with poor survival.

CONCLUSION

ONB has an excellent survival. Surgical resection with PORT when indicated is the mainstay of treatment. Endoscopic approaches can be used as a good tool. Elective neck irradiation reduces the risk of nodal recurrence among patients with clinically N0 neck. Despite the excellent survival, recurrence rate remains high and delayed, highlighting the need for long-term surveillance.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level 4 Laryngoscope, 2021.

Role of induction chemotherapy for oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Patients with locoregionally advanced oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) have a poor survival outcome. Treatment involves extensive surgery, adjuvant radiation, or chemoradiation and results in high morbidity. In this study, the authors' objective was to evaluate their experience with induction chemotherapy (IC) in the treatment of locoregionally advanced OCSCC.

METHODS

A retrospective review of the medical records of all patients with locoregionally advanced (stage III and IV) OCSCC who received IC followed by definitive local therapy was conducted. Outcomes included response to IC and survival.

RESULTS

In total, 120 patients were included in the study. The overall stage was stage IV in 79.2% of patients. After 2 cycles of IC, 76 patients (63.3%) achieved at least a partial response, including 13 who had a complete response. Stable disease was observed in 30 patients (25%), and 14 patients (11.7%) had progressive disease. Among responders, 16 patients received definitive chemoradiation or radiation therapy, and 60 underwent surgical resection, of whom 15 had less extensive surgery than was originally planned. Overall, organ preservation was achieved in 40.8% of patients who had a favorable response to IC. The 5-year overall and disease-specific survival rates were 51.4% and 66.9%, respectively. Patients who had at least a partial response had better 5-year overall survival (60.1%) and disease-specific survival (78.5%) compared with nonresponders (33.8% and 46.4%, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The results demonstrate a response rate to IC in patients with advanced OCSCC similar to what has been observed in patients with cancer in other head and neck subsites. Patients who achieved at least a partial response to IC had a more favorable outcome, with ensuing organ preservation. Further studies are warranted.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for locoregionally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the paranasal sinuses

BACKGROUND

Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common type of sinonasal malignancy. Despite improvements in surgical resection and adjuvant therapy, which are considered the standard of care, the outcome for patients with locoregionally advanced disease remains poor. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of induction chemotherapy in patients with locoregionally advanced sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma and to determine the oncologic outcomes in those patients.

METHODS

The study included 123 consecutive patients with previously untreated, locoregionally advanced (stage III and IV) sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma who were treated with curative intent at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center between 1988 and 2017 with induction chemotherapy followed by definitive local therapy. Patient demographics, tumor staging, treatment details, and oncologic outcomes were reviewed. The outcomes of this study included response to induction chemotherapy, recurrence, organ preservation, and survival.

RESULTS

The median follow-up was 32.6 months (range, 12.4-240 months). Of the 123 patients, 110 (89%) had T4 disease, and 13 (11%) had T3 disease. Lymph node metastasis at the time of presentation was observed in 36 patients (29.3%). The overall stage was stage IV in 111 patients (90.2%) and stage III in 12 patients (9.8%). The chemotherapy regimen consisted of the combination of a platinum and taxanes in most cases (109 patients; 88.6%), either as a doublet (41 patients) or in combination with a third agent, such as 5-fluorouracil (34 patients), ifosfamide (26 patients), or cetuximab (8 patients). After induction chemotherapy, 71 patients (57.8%) achieved at least a partial response, and 6 patients had a complete response. Subsequent treatment after induction chemotherapy was either: 1) definitive chemoradiation or radiation followed by surgical salvage for any residual disease, or 2) surgery followed by adjuvant radiation or chemoradiation. Overall, 54 patients (49.5%) underwent surgical resection. The 2-year overall and disease-free survival rates for the whole cohort were 61.4% and 67.9%, respectively. The rate of orbital preservation was 81.5%. The recurrence rate was 26.8% (33 patients), and distant metastases occurred in 8 patients (6.5%). Patients who had at least a partial response or stable disease had significantly better overall and disease-free survival than those who had progressive disease (P = .028 and P = .021, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The current results indicate that a high proportion of patients with sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma achieved a favorable response to induction chemotherapy. The data suggest that response to induction chemotherapy is associated with an improved outcome and a good chance of organ preservation. The oncologic outcomes in this cohort with locally advanced (mostly T4) disease are better than those historically reported in the literature. Further study of induction chemotherapy in patients with advanced sinonasal squamous carcinoma is warranted.

Abstract B08: Overcoming cisplatin resistance in sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma by inhibiting the TGFβ signaling pathway in vivo

Background: Sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (SNUC) is a rare, highly aggressive cancer that arises in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. Despite aggressive multimodal therapy the prognosis remains poor. Because of the locally advanced nature of SNUC, we have used cisplatin-based induction chemotherapy before definitive surgery or radiation therapy in our institution. Unfortunately, about 30% of SNUC patients do not respond to this treatment, and the lack of response is associated with poor survival. Therefore, developing strategies to overcome resistance to induction chemotherapy is crucial. Our current gene expression analysis of SNUC specimens indicated that the TGFβ signaling pathway might be activated in nonresponders. Using the MDA8788-6 SNUC cell line established from a nonresponder, we found that TGFβ signaling is upregulated in an autocrine manner in the SNUC cell line. Since inhibition of the TGFβ pathway overcame cisplatin resistance in this cell line, we decided to examine the effects of TGFβ inhibition in vivo.

Materials and Methods: The MDA8788-6 SNUC cell line were cultured under serum-free condition overnight to induce TGFβ signaling. The cells were then resuspended in the serum-free conditioned medium collected from the same cell line to maintain activation of the pathway. Two million MDA8788-6 cells in the conditioned medium were inoculated into the flank of mice subcutaneously. On the same day of the inoculation, we started treatment with i) vehicle control, ii) cisplatin only (4 mg/kg, once per week, intravenously), iii) EW-7197 only (TGFβRI specific inhibitor, 40 mg/kg, five times per week, oral gavage), and iv) cisplatin plus EW-7197. After 5 courses of treatments, the mice were sacrificed. Average tumor volume of each treatment group 31 days after the cell inoculation was compared by Tukey’s multiple comparisons test. Area under the curve (AUC) was calculated according to the tumor growth curve of each mouse from 0 to 31 days after the cell inoculation. AUC of CDDP group and CDDP plus EW-7197 group was compared by unpaired, two-tailed t test with Welch’s correction.

Results: The EW-7197 treated group itself did not show antitumor growth effect compared to the control group. Comparison of AUC of the tumor volume showed significant difference between the cisplatin alone and cisplatin plus EW-7197; the combination of cisplatin and EW-7197 had better antitumor growth effect compared to cisplatin alone.

Conclusions: Our finding suggests that TGFβ inhibition may offer hope to SNUC patients struggling with chemoresistance.

Citation Format: Yoko Takahashi, Hideaki Takahashi, Moran Amit, Frederico O. Gleber-Netto, Diana Bell, Tong-Xin Xie, Dianna Roberts, Ahmed S. Abdelmeguid, Curtis Pickering, Jeffrey N. Myers, Ehab Y. Hanna. Overcoming cisplatin resistance in sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma by inhibiting the TGFβ signaling pathway in vivo [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 B08.

Endoscopic resection of sinonasal malignancies

BACKGROUND

In this study, we evaluate our experience and the outcomes of patients with sinonasal cancer treated with endoscopic resection.

METHODS

Retrospective review of patients with sinonasal cancer who had endoscopic resection was conducted. The outcomes of interest included survival outcomes and surgical complications.

RESULTS

Overall, 239 patients were included. Median follow up time was 46.6 months. Of the 239 patients, 167 (70%) had a pure endonasal endoscopic approach, while 72 (30%) had an endoscopic-assisted approach. Postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage occurred in 14 patients (5.9%). Negative margins were achieved in 209 patients (87.4%). There was no significant difference in the margin status between the pure endoscopic and endoscopic-assisted group (P = .682). There was no significant difference in the survival outcomes between both the groups.

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest that in properly selected patients, endoscopic approaches have acceptable morbidity with low complication rates and can provide an oncologically sound alterative to open approaches.

Identification of markers predictive for response to induction chemotherapy in patients with sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma

OBJECTIVES

Sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (SNUC) is a rare, highly aggressive cancer. Despite aggressive multimodal therapy, its prognosis remains poor. Because of its locally advanced nature and high propensity for distant metastasis, we frequently use induction chemotherapy before definitive therapy in patients with SNUC. However, about 30% of patients do not respond to induction chemotherapy, and lack of response is associated with a poor survival rate. Therefore, in this study, we performed gene expression analysis of SNUC samples to identify prognostic markers for induction chemotherapy response.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded SNUC tumor samples from previously untreated patients harvested before induction chemotherapy were used. Gene expression was performed using an oncology gene expression panel.

RESULTS

We identified 34 differentially expressed genes that distinguish the responders from the non-responders. Pathway analysis using these genes revealed alteration of multiple pathways between the two groups. Of these 34 genes, 24 distinguished between these two groups. Additionally, 16 gene pairs were associated with response to induction therapy.

CONCLUSION

We identified genes predictive of SNUC response to induction chemotherapy and pathways potentially associated with treatment outcome. This is the first report of identification of predictive biomarkers for response of SNUC to induction chemotherapy, and it may help us develop therapeutic strategies to improve the treatment outcomes of non-responders.

Sinonasal Undifferentiated Carcinoma

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To provide a comprehensive review of the literature highlighting the recent advances in the diagnosis and management of sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (SNUC) RECENT FINDINGS: SNUC usually presents at advanced stage and the prognosis is usually poor with high rates of locoregional recurrence and tendency to metastasize. Special attention should be made in differentiating SNUC from other sinonasal malignancies in order to guide the appropriate treatment accordingly. Multimodality treatment is usually recommended for treating SNUC. The use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy may be associated with improved outcome and can be used to guide the subsequent treatment selection. Despite the recent advances in chemotherapeutic agents, radiation techniques, and surgical approaches, the prognosis and survival outcomes of SNUC remain poor. The addition of induction chemotherapy to the treatment approach followed by definitive local therapy needs to be further studied as it might improve the outcome.

Induction Chemotherapy Response as a Guide for Treatment Optimization in Sinonasal Undifferentiated Carcinoma

PURPOSE

Multimodal therapy is a well-established approach for the treatment of sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (SNUC); however, the optimal sequence of the various treatments modalities is yet to be determined. This study aimed to assess the role of induction chemotherapy (IC) in guiding definitive therapy in patients with SNUC.

METHODS

Ninety-five previously untreated patients diagnosed with SNUC and treated between 2001 and 2018 at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center were included in the analysis. Patients were treated with curative intent and received IC before definitive locoregional therapy. The primary end point was disease-specific survival (DSS). Secondary end points included overall and disease-free survival, disease recurrence, and organ preservation.

RESULTS

A total of 95 treatment-naïve patients were included in the analysis. For the entire cohort, the 5-years DSS probability was 59% (95% CI, 53% to 66%). In patients who had partial or complete response to IC, the 5-year DSS probabilities were 81% (95% CI, 69% to 88%) after treatment with definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) after IC and 54% (95% CI, 44% to 61%) after definitive surgery and postoperative radiotherapy or CRT after IC (log-rank P = .001). In patients who did not experience at least a partial response to IC, the 5-year DSS probabilities were 0% (95% CI, 0% to 4%) in patients who were treated with concurrent CRT after IC and 39% (95% CI, 30% to 46%) in patients who were treated with surgery plus radiotherapy or CRT (adjusted hazard ratio of 5.68 [95% CI, 2.89 to 9.36]).

CONCLUSION

In patients who achieve a favorable response to IC, definitive CRT results in improved survival compared with those who undergo definitive surgery. In patients who do not achieve a favorable response to IC, surgery when feasible seems to provide a better chance of disease control and improved survival.

Patterns of Treatment Failure in Patients with Sinonasal Mucosal Melanoma

BACKGROUND

Head and neck mucosal melanoma is a locally aggressive tumor with a high recurrence rate. The paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity are the most common primary tumor sites.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this retrospective study was to identify independent predictors of outcome in sinonasal mucosal melanoma (SNMM) and characterize the patterns of treatment failure.

METHODS

This study included 198 patients with SNMM who had been treated at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center from 1 January 1991 through 31 December 2016. The survival outcomes included overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), disease-free survival (DFS), local recurrence-free survival, and distant metastasis-free survival. A stepwise regression analysis was used to assess associations in the multivariate models.

RESULTS

The 5-year OS, DSS, and DFS rates were 38, 58, and 27%, respectively. Independent predictors of poor OS and DSS were the paranasal sinuses as the primary tumor site [hazard ratio (HR) 1.73, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.11-2.66; and HR 2.12, 95% CI 1.21-3.74, respectively] and the presence of distant metastases at presentation (HR 4.53, 95% CI 2.24-7.83; and HR 3.6, 95% CI 1.12-7.1). Recurrence occurred in 96 patients (48%). The most common cause of treatment failure was distant metastasis in 69 of 198 patients (35%), followed by local [36 (18%)] and regional [22 (11%)] recurrence.

CONCLUSION

The most common cause of treatment failure in SNMM is distant metastasis. The tumor site and the presence of metastatic disease at presentation were the only independent predictors of survival. These data can be used to inform quality improvement efforts and the counseling of high-risk SNMM patients.

Role of Adjuvant Treatment in Sinonasal Mucosal Melanoma

Purpose  Sinonasal mucosal melanoma (SNMM) is a locally aggressive tumor. This study aimed to define the role of adjuvant treatment and its association with survival outcomes of SNMM. Methods  This retrospective study investigated 152 patients with SNMM treated between 1991 and 2016 in MD Anderson Cancer Center. Patients were divided into the following treatment groups: surgery alone, surgery with postoperative radiotherapy (PORT), surgery with postoperative chemoradiation (POCRT), and induction chemotherapy followed by surgery and PORT. Overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival, and relapse-free survival were compared. Survival between the groups was compared using univariate and multivariate analyses. Results  The median follow-up was 28 months (range: 2-220 months). Five-year OS rates were 39, 42, 47, and 27% for the surgery only, PORT, POCRT, and neoadjuvant chemotherapy groups, respectively (log rank p  = 0.73). Distant metastasis was the most common form of treatment failure and occurred in 59 (39%) patients. Five-year distant metastasis rates were 51, 45, and 58% for patients treated with surgery alone, PORT, and POCRT, respectively (log rank p  = 0.21) but unable to be estimated in the neoadjuvant chemotherapy group due to low OS rates. Multivariate analysis demonstrated tumor site (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.32, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.24-4.15) and smoking status (HR = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.02-3.1) to be significant prognostic factors for survival. Conclusion  Tumor site and smoking status were significant prognosticators in SNMM. A high rate of distant metastatic disease suggests that further investigation into novel, systemic therapies is required to improve outcomes in this disease entity.

Approaches to regional lymph node metastasis in patients with head and neck mucosal melanoma

BACKGROUND

Mucosal melanomas in the head and neck region are most often located in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. To the authors' knowledge, the prognostic effects of lymph node metastasis in patients with sinonasal mucosal melanoma (SNMM) have not been established. Therefore, the objective of the current study was to determine the effects of lymph node metastasis on survival.

METHODS

The current study included 198 patients with SNMM who had been treated between 1985 and 2016 at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Patients' clinical and pathologic lymph node statuses were evaluated and characterized. A multivariate analysis was used to assess the associations between regional spread and survival outcomes.

RESULTS

Therapeutic neck dissection was performed in 23 patients with SNMM (11.6%). Regional disease recurrence occurred in 7 of the patients who had lymph node metastasis at the time of presentation (30.4%) and in 30 of those who had N0 disease at the time of presentation (17.1%) (P = .15). Metastasis to the contralateral lymph nodes was present in 7 patients (3.5%). The 5-year disease-specific survival rate was 66% in patients with lymph node spread compared with 45% in patients with N0 status (P = .04, log-rank test). A multivariate analysis demonstrated that distant metastasis was the only variable found to be independently associated with both overall survival (hazard ratio, 2.96; 95% confidence interval, 1.54-6.95 [P = .01]) and disease-specific survival (hazard ratio, 3.32; 95% confidence interval, 1.79-7.14 [P = 0.01]).

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the current study demonstrated that lymph node status in patients with SNMM was not a significant predictor of outcome. This finding, together with the low incidence of lymph node metastases in patients with SNMM, suggests that elective treatment of the neck should be highly selective in this patient population. Cancer 2018;124:514-20. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Mutation status among patients with sinonasal mucosal melanoma and its impact on survival

BACKGROUND

Sinonasal mucosal melanoma (SNMM) comprises <1% of all melanomas and lacks well-characterised molecular markers. Our aim was to determine the frequencies of common mutations and examine their utility as molecular markers in a large series of primary SNMMs.

METHODS

SNMM patients seen at our institution from August 1991 through July 2016 were identified. Genomic DNA was extracted from 66 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumours and screened for mutations by direct sequencing. We investigated the association of mutations with clinicopathological features and survival outcomes.

RESULTS

Overall, 41% (27 out of 66) of the SNMMs harboured mutations. BRAF and KIT mutations were identified in 8% (five patients) and 5% (three patients) of SNMMs, respectively, whereas NRAS mutations were detected in 30% (20 patients) of SNMMs. Mutation rates in these oncogenes were similar between SNMMs located in the paranasal sinuses and those in the nasal cavity (30% and 13%, respectively, P=0.09). In a multivariate analysis, patients with negative margins had significantly better overall survival (hazard ratio 5.43, 95% confidence interval 1.44-21.85, P=0.01) and disease-specific survival (hazard ratio 21.9, 95% confidence interval 3.71-180, P=0.0004). The mutation status of the tumours showed no association with survival outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

In SNNM, mutation status does not affect survival outcomes, but NRAS mutations are relatively frequent and could be targeted in this disease by MEK inhibitors.