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Increased local failure risk with prolonged radiation treatment time in head and neck cancer treated with concurrent chemotherapy
Author(s) -
Can Donald M.,
Geye Heather M.,
Hartig Gregory K.,
Traynor Anne M.,
Hoang Tien,
McCulloch Timothy M.,
Wiederholt Peggy A.,
Chappell Richard J.,
Harari Paul M.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
head and neck
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.012
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1097-0347
pISSN - 1043-3074
DOI - 10.1002/hed.23419
Subject(s) - medicine , head and neck cancer , head and neck squamous cell carcinoma , radiation therapy , chemotherapy , chemoradiotherapy , oncology , hazard ratio , cancer , surgery , confidence interval
Background Prolonged radiation treatment time (RTT) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is associated with inferior tumor control in patients treated with radiation therapy (RT) alone. However, the significance of prolonged RTT with concurrent chemotherapy is less clear. Methods We reviewed outcomes for 171 patients with primary HNSCC treated with curative intent RT and concurrent drug therapy from 2001 to 2009. The effects of RTT and other variables on local control and survival were analyzed. Results Patients with RTT >7 weeks had a significantly increased risk of local failure (hazard ratio [HR], 2.6; p = .018) and death (HR, 1.9 p = .035). These results retained significance even after adjustment for tumor stage (age was not significant). Conclusion For patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (chemoRT), prolonged RTT may compromise tumor control as has been established in the setting of RT alone. Symptoms of patients with HNSCC undergoing definitive chemoRT should be managed aggressively to limit treatment interruptions. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 36: 1120–1125, 2014