Open AccessThe Benefit of Adjuvant Radiation in Surgically‐Treated T1‐2 N1 Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Author(s) -
Monroe Marcus M.,
Buchmann Luke O.,
Hunt Jason P.,
Hitchcock Ying J.,
Lloyd Shane,
Hashibe Mia
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
laryngoscope investigative otolaryngology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2378-8038
DOI - 10.1002/lio2.64
Subject(s) - medicine , neck dissection , adjuvant , population , radiation therapy , adjuvant radiotherapy , oncology , retrospective cohort study , carcinoma , cancer , surgery , environmental health
Importance The benefit of adjuvant radiation in surgically treated T1‐2N1 oropharyngeal cancer without adverse pathologic features remains unclear Objectives To compare population‐level survival outcomes in surgically‐treated T1‐2N1 oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) with and without the use of adjuvant radiation. Study Design Retrospective population‐based study using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry data from 1998–2011. Setting Population‐level study. Participants Patients with T1‐2N1 OPSCC treated with surgical resection and neck dissection with or without adjuvant radiation. Intervention(s) for Clinical Trials or Exposure(s) for observational studies The use of postoperative adjuvant radiation. Main Outcome(s) and Measures Overall and disease‐specific survival. Results Radiation was utilized in 74% of patients and was positively associated with extracapsular extension and well‐differentiated histology. The use of radiation was associated with improved mean overall survival (124 v. 108 months, p=0.023) and a non‐significant increase in mean disease‐specific survival (138 v. 131 months, p=0.053). Conclusions and Relevance The use of adjuvant radiation is associated with improved survival in surgically‐treated T1‐2N1 squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx with unknown HPV status. Level of Evidence IV