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Concurrent radiotherapy plus epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors in patients with human papillomavirus-related head and neck cancer

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Abstract

Purpose

Concurrent radio-chemotherapy (RT-CT) is the standard treatment for locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LA-HNSCC), but RT plus epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors is an effective option when CT is not appropriate. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is associated with an improved prognosis in LA-HNSCC; however, it has not been fully studied as a prognostic factor after RT + EGFR inhibitors.

Experimental design

Immunohistochemical expression of p16INK4A and PCR of HPV16 DNA were retrospectively analyzed in tumor blocks from 52 stage III/IV LA-HNSCC patients treated with RT + EGFR inhibitors. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed by the Kaplan–Meier method.

Results

DNA of HPV16 was found in six of 52 tumors (12 %) and p16 positivity in eight tumors (15 %). After a median follow-up time of 45 months (6–110), p16-positive patients treated with RT + EGFR inhibitors showed an improved DFS (2-year DFS 75 vs. 44 %, HR 0.25, 95 % CI 0.06–0.99, p = 0.047) compared with p16-negative patients. These differences were outperformed when compared by HPV16 status (2-year OS rates of 83 vs. 58 %, HR 0.17, 95 % CI 0.02–0.99, p = 0.049 and 2-year DFS rates of 83 vs. 45 %, HR 0.17, 95 % CI 0.02–0.99, p = 0.049). In the Cox regression analysis with OS as the end point, ECOG 0–1 was the only prognostic factor independently associated with a good prognosis in the multivariable analysis.

Conclusion

In this study, p16/HPV16-positive patients with LA-HNSCC treated with RT + EGFR inhibitors showed a better survival, not confirmed in multivariate analysis.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Maria José Lozano for her assistance with the immunohistochemical staining.

Conflict of interest

All authors have no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Oncology, Servicio de Oncología Médica del Hospital Clínico Virgen de la Victoria, Campus Teatinos s/n, 29010, Málaga, Spain

    B. Pajares, J. M. Trigo, B. Jimenez & E. Alba

  2. Department of Pathology, Hospital Virgen de la Victoria, Málaga, Spain

    L. Perez-Villa, M. Álvarez & J. A. Medina

  3. Department of Radiotherapy, Hospital Virgen de la Victoria, Málaga, Spain

    M. D. Toledo

  4. Biomedical Research Laboratory Hospital Virgen de la Victoria, Málaga, Spain

    V. de Luque

  5. Computational Languages Department, Málaga University, Málaga, Spain

    J. M. Jerez

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  1. B. Pajares
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Correspondence to B. Pajares.

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Pajares, B., Perez-Villa, L., Trigo, J.M. et al. Concurrent radiotherapy plus epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors in patients with human papillomavirus-related head and neck cancer. Clin Transl Oncol 16, 418–424 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-013-1099-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-013-1099-9

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