Determinants of Prognosis in Head and Neck Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma With Nodal Metastases
Year: 2024
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Importance: The eighth edition tumor, node, metastasis (TNM) staging for head and neck cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (HNcSCC) is a poor predictor of survival in patients with lymph node metastases, possibly due to the inclusion of extranodal extension (ENE). Objective: To identify the key determinants of prognosis in patients with nodal metastatic HNcSCC and analyze the association of ENE with TNM stage and investigate for prognostic heterogeneity in ENE-positive disease. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective, multicenter cohort study was conducted at 4 Australian tertiary referral centers using prospectively collected data in patients treated between 1980 and 2017 with a median (IQR) follow-up of 3.2 (3.9) years. The study population included 1309 consecutive patients with HNcSCC that was metastatic to parotid and/or cervical nodes. After excluding cases with perioperative mortality, missing data, or follow-up, the final study population included 1151 patients. Exposure: Curative intent surgery ± adjuvant radiotherapy. Main Outcomes and Measures: Differences in locoregional control (LRC), disease-specific survival (DSS), and overall survival were determined using Cox regression analysis. Results: Among 1151 patients, 976 (84.8%) were male and 175 (15.2%) female, with a median age of 73.3 years (range, 18-100 years). On multivariable analysis, immunosuppression (hazard ratio [HR], 2.48; 95% CI, 1.64-3.74), perineural invasion (HR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.25-2.30), ENE (HR, 1.53; 95% CI, 0.95-2.44), size (>3-6 cm vs ≤3 cm [HR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.03-1.93]; >6 cm vs ≤3 cm [HR, 5.01; 95% CI, 2.98-8.42]), and number of nodal metastases (3-4 vs 1-2 [HR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.01-2.34]; ≥5 vs 1-2 [HR, 2.86; 95% CI, 1.99-4.11]) were associated with DSS. Similar results were found for LRC and overall survival. More than 90% of the population was categorized as TNM stage IV, with 32% attributable to ENE. In the ENE-positive subset (n = 860), DSS ranged from 8% to 88% based on stratification using other clinicopathological factors. Conclusions and Relevance: The study results suggest that immunosuppression, perineural invasion, ENE, and size and number of nodal metastases are associated with reduced survival and LRC in HNcSCC with nodal metastases. The inclusion of ENE in HNcSCC staging needs to be reassessed, as it ascribes excessive importance to ENE and upstages most patients to TNM stage IV, despite many having a high chance of cure.
Institutions: Australian National University, Canberra Hospital, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, ACT Government, The University of Sydney, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Westmead Hospital, The University of Queensland, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Liverpool Hospital
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4402859115