Sung Hee Lim1, Su Jin Lee1, Myung-Ju Ahn1, Keunchil Park1, Jong-Mu Sun2. 1. Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. 2. Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea tntntn3@gmail.com.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to compare the long-term clinical outcome of hypopharynx cancer and oropharynx cancer treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy. METHODS: A total of 213 patients with locally advanced hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (n = 79) or oropharygeal squamous cell carcinoma (n = 134) were included. All patients were treated with upfront concurrent chemoradiotherapy between 1995 and 2012. RESULTS: The median overall survival and progression-free survival differed significantly between the two groups (P < 0.05). Overall survival and progression-free survival rates at 3 years were 52% and 42% for hypopharynx cancer, and 75% and 72% for oropharynx cancer, respectively. There was no significant difference in the overall incidence of distant metastases but more locoregional recurrences occurred in patients with hypopharynx cancer compared with those with oropharynx cancer with a statistical significance (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients diagnosed with locally advanced hypopharyngeal had relatively poor survival after upfront concurrent chemoradiotherapy. More intensive treatment such as induction chemotherapy before concurrent chemoradiotherapy might be needed to improve survival outcome in this subgroup of patients.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to compare the long-term clinical outcome of hypopharynx cancer and oropharynx cancer treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy. METHODS: A total of 213 patients with locally advanced hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (n = 79) or oropharygeal squamous cell carcinoma (n = 134) were included. All patients were treated with upfront concurrent chemoradiotherapy between 1995 and 2012. RESULTS: The median overall survival and progression-free survival differed significantly between the two groups (P < 0.05). Overall survival and progression-free survival rates at 3 years were 52% and 42% for hypopharynx cancer, and 75% and 72% for oropharynx cancer, respectively. There was no significant difference in the overall incidence of distant metastases but more locoregional recurrences occurred in patients with hypopharynx cancer compared with those with oropharynx cancer with a statistical significance (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS:Patients diagnosed with locally advanced hypopharyngeal had relatively poor survival after upfront concurrent chemoradiotherapy. More intensive treatment such as induction chemotherapy before concurrent chemoradiotherapy might be needed to improve survival outcome in this subgroup of patients.