Work

Matched-Pair Analysis of Survival in the Patients with Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Treated with Radiotherapy or Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy Versus Surgical-Based Treatment

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: This study compared survival outcomes between upfront surgery +/-radiotherapy (RT) and definitive RT with or without chemotherapy (RT/CRT) in HPV-negative oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). METHODS: A retrospective matched-pair analysis included 150 patients treated between 1990 and 2020. Fifty (RT/CRT) cases (2009-2020) were matched 2:1 to 100 surgical cases (1990-2009) by sex, subsite, T/N classification, and AJCC 8th stage. Sixty-six percent of surgically treated patients received adjuvant RT. Only HPV-negative tumors confirmed by p16 and HPV DNA testing were analyzed. Survival was assessed with Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression. RESULTS: = 0.022) in surgical patients. In stage III disease, RT/CRT provided markedly superior DSS (87% vs. 42%). No significant differences were found in local control or recurrence-free survival, but metastasis-free survival was significantly worse in the surgical cohort, and the incidence of second primary tumors was significantly lower in the RT/CRT group. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that RT/CRT provides superior survival outcomes and better control of distant metastasis and second primary tumors compared with surgery in HPV-negative OPSCC, particularly in stage III disease. RT/CRT should be considered an effective organ-preserving option for this population.

Source: Cancers

DOI: 10.3390/cancers17233779