Clinical features and prognostic factors of squamous cell carcinoma of the base of tongue：an analysis of 124 cases

Abstract

Objective:To summarize the clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic factors of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the base of tongue (BOT). Method:Review the clinical data of 124 cases of patients with BOT tumors. HPV-DNA was detected using SPF10-DNA enzyme immunoassay and LiPA genotyping method. Survival rates and prognostic factors was calculated with SPSS 19.0 software using the Kaplan-Meier method and multivariate Cox model survival analysis. Result:5-year disease-specific survival (DSS), 5-year overall survival and median survival time for patients with SCC BOT were 54.5%, 48.5% and 45.2 months, respectively. HPV infection rate was 18.3%(11/60), the HPV-16 subtype in 10 cases, accounting for 90.9%(10/11). Univariate analysis results showed that smoking history (P=0.028), drinking history (P=0.001), tumor stage (P=0.009) and p16 protein expression (P=0.015) significantly affected the prognosis. The prognosis of patients with HPV positive BOT cancers was better than the HPV negative patients (5-year DSS was 80.8% compared to 54.5%), but not statistical difference (P=0.138). Multivariate analysis revealed that independent prognostic factors of BOT tumors were drinking history (P=0.006) and tumor stage (P=0.035). Conclusion:The prognosis of BOT tumor was relatively poor. Smoking history, drinking history, tumor staging and the expression of p16 protein significantly affected the prognosis. Drinking history and tumor stage were independent prognostic factors for BOT cancers.