Long-term survival of adjuvant high-dose (HDC) vs weekly cisplatin (WC) for human papilloma-virus (HPV) and non-HPV head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

Abstract

6071 Background: Phase III data suggests a benefit of HDC in the adjuvant setting, but the effect of HDC and WC on long term survival and for HPV+ HNSCC is unknown. Methods: Data from a published retrospective study (Geiger Oral Onc 2013) of HDC vs WC in resected HNSCC was updated. Overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) was assessed by Kaplan-Meier method for all pts and by HPV status. Multivariate analyses were performed to assess impact of HPV status, smoking, age, HDC vs WC, and cumulative cisplatin dose ( < 200mg/m2 vs ≥200 mg/m2). Results: 51 patients (pts) received HDC and 53 WC. Median follow-up was 8.7 yrs (0.8-13.7). For the whole cohort, HDC had significantly improved OS over WC (p = 0.0095; 5- and 10-yr OS 84% and 80% vs 72% and 60%). No OS benefit for HDC was seen in pts with HPV+HNSCC (5- and 10-yr OS 90% and 87% for HDC and 81% and 81% for WC; p = 0.51). For HPV-negative HNSCC, OS had borderline significance with HDC vs WC (5- and 10-yr OS 73% and 68% vs 65% and 44%; p = 0.06). For the whole cohort, there was no difference in 5- and 10-yr RFS (78% and 74% for HDC vs 72% and 62% for WC; p = 0.32). When analyzed by HPV status, there was no difference in RFS with HDC or WC for either HPV+ (p = 0.43) or HPV-negative HNSCC (p = 0.97). On multivariate analyses of OS for all pts, only HPV status was significant (p = 0.0011; HR 0.27, CI 0.12-0.62). For HPV+ HNSCC, there was no significant predictor of OS. For non-HPV HNSCC, the benefit of HDC approached significance with a decreased risk of death (HR 0.38; p = 0.07). For all pts, those who received ≥200mg/m2 had significantly improved OS (5-yr 90% vs 72% and 10-yr 86% vs 61%; p = 0.004). By HPV status, cumulative dose had no significant effect on OS. Conclusions: OS is better with HDC and with cumulative dose > 200 mg/m2 in unselected patients. The benefit of cisplatin is likely higher for non-HPV HNSCC. A difference in OS with no difference in RFS suggests non cancer-related causes of death in the WC cohort. Ability to receive HDC could be a surrogate marker of comorbidity. [Table: see text]