Node-positive Head Research Articles

Predictive value of clinical and radiomic features for radiation therapy response in patients with lymph node-positive head and neck cancer.

Prediction of survival and radiation therapy response is challenging in head and neck cancer with metastatic lymph nodes (LNs). Here we developed novel radiomics- and clinical-based predictive models. Volumes of interest of LNs were employed for radiomic features extraction. Radiomic and clinical features were investigated for their predictive value relatively to locoregional failure (LRF), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) and used to build multivariate models. Hundred and six subjects were suitable for final analysis. Univariate analysis identified two radiomic features significantly predictive for LRF, and five radiomic features plus two clinical features significantly predictive for both PFS and OS. The area under the curve of receiver operating characteristic curve combining clinical and radiomic predictors for PFS and OS resulted 0.71 (95%CI: 0.60-0.83) and 0.77 (95%CI: 0.64-0.89). Radiomic and clinical features resulted to be independent predictive factors, but external independent validation is mandatory to support these findings.

Pattern of nutritional status in node-negative versus node-positive head and neck cancer patients undergoing treatment: a prospective cohort study.

The aim of this study was to study the nutritional profile of node-negative and node-positive patients undergoing treatment for head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC). This prospective cohort study was conducted between 2018 and 2020. Patients diagnosed with HNSCC, planned for treatment, were enrolled after written informed consent. In node-negative (N0) and node-positive (N +) cohorts of patients, nutritional status was determined using anthropometric measures and Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) scale pre-treatment, and during and after treatment. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 22. Data was analyzed using parametric and non-parametric tests, and p value of 0.05 was considered significant. In total, 161 patients were analyzed, 73 N0 and 88N + cohorts. Pre-treatment, 9.6 to 20.4% patients in N0 and 23.9 to 32.8% patients in N + cohorts were malnourished. Incidence of malnutrition at completion of treatment was 40.8 to 52.5% overall, 20.5 to 41.1% N0, and 39.5 to 62.8% N + . Mean reduction in weight (11.1% ± 7.82 vs 6.26% ± 8.3, p = 0.000), mean reduction in BMI (2.57 ± 1.87 vs 1.29 ± 1.62, p = 0.000), median reduction in MUAC (2cm vs 1cm, p = 0.000), and median increase in SGA score (13 vs 6, p = 0.000) were higher in multi-modality as compared to those in a single-modality treatment. Similar findings were noted in N0 and N + cohorts. As compared to N0, N + patients had higher burden of malnutrition at diagnosis, and more worsening of nutritional parameters during treatment. More decline in nutritional status was seen in patients receiving multi-modality as compared to single-modality treatment.

PO-0974 Comparing delineation techniques in radiotherapy of node positive head and neck squamous cell cancer

PO-0974 Comparing delineation techniques in radiotherapy of node positive head and neck squamous cell cancer

Quantitative ultrasound delta-radiomics during radiotherapy for monitoring treatment responses in head andneck malignancies.

Aim:We investigated quantitative ultrasound (QUS) in patients with node-positive head and neck malignancies for monitoring responses to radical radiotherapy (RT).Materials & methods:QUS spectral and texture parameters were acquired from metastatic lymph nodes 24 h, 1 and 4 weeks after starting RT. K-nearest neighbor and naive-Bayes machine-learning classifiers were used to build prediction models for each time point. Response was detected after 3 months of RT, and patients were classified into complete and partial responders.Results:Single-feature naive-Bayes classification performed best with a prediction accuracy of 80, 86 and 85% at 24 h, week 1 and 4, respectively.Conclusion:QUS-radiomics can predict RT response at 3 months as early as 24 h with reasonable accuracy, which further improves into 1 week of treatment.

Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography Surveillance after (Chemo)Radiotherapy in Advanced Head and Neck Squamous Cell Cancer: Beyond the PET-NECK Protocol

AimsTo evaluate the implementation of 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (FDG PET-CT) surveillance after (chemo)radiotherapy, to compare outcomes for those who achieved a complete (CR), equivocal (EQR) and incomplete (ICR) nodal response on 12-week PET-CT according to their human papillomavirus (HPV) status, and to assess the safety of ongoing surveillance beyond 12 weeks in the HPV-positive EQR group. Materials and methodsAll patients with node-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) treated with (chemo)radiotherapy between January 2013 and September 2017 were identified. PET-CT responses were classified as CR, ICR or EQR. Patient outcomes were obtained from electronic records. ResultsIn total, 236 patients with a minimum of 2 years of follow-up were identified. The mean age was 59 years; 79.3% had N2 disease; 77.1% of patients had oropharyngeal cancer and 10.1% had squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary, of whom 82.0% (169) were HPV positive; 78.0% received chemoradiotherapy. The median time from the end of radiotherapy to PET-CT was 91 days. Of the HPV-related HNSCC, 60.4% achieved CR, 29.0% EQR and 10.6% ICR. With a median follow-up of 41.7 months, there was no difference in survival between patients with HPV-related HNSCC achieving CR and EQR (median overall survival not reached for both, P = 0.67) despite the omission of immediate neck dissection in 98.0% of the EQR group. ConclusionPatients with HPV-positive HNSCC who have achieved EQR have comparable survival outcomes to those who achieved a CR despite the omission of immediate neck dissections; this shows the safety of ongoing surveillance beyond 12 weeks in this group of patients.

Data from a terminated study on iron oxide nanoparticle magnetic resonance imaging for head and neck tumors

Node positive head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) patients exhibit worse outcomes in terms of regional neck control, risk for distant metastases and overall survival. Smaller non-palpable lymph nodes may be inflammatory or may harbor clinically occult metastases, a characterization that can be challenging to make using routine imaging modalities. Ferumoxytol has been previously investigated as an intra-tumoral contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for intracranial malignancies and lymph node agent in prostate cancer. Hence, our group was motivated to carry out a prospective feasibility study to assess the feasibility of ferumoxytol dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE)-weighted MRI relative to that of gadolinium-based DCE-MRI for nodal and primary tumor imaging in patients with biopsy-proven node-positive HNSCC or melanoma. Although this institutional review board (IRB)-approved study was prematurely terminated because of an FDA black box warning, the investigators sought to curate and publish this unique dataset of matched clinical, and anatomical and DCE MRI data for the enrolled five patients to be available for scientists interested in molecular imaging.

Predictive quantitative ultrasound radiomic markers associated with treatment response in head and neck cancer.

Aim:We aimed to identify quantitative ultrasound (QUS)-radiomic markers to predict radiotherapy response in metastatic lymph nodes of head and neck cancer.Materials & methods:Node-positive head and neck cancer patients underwent pretreatment QUS imaging of their metastatic lymph nodes. Imaging features were extracted using the QUS spectral form, and second-order texture parameters. Machine-learning classifiers were used for predictive modeling, which included a logistic regression, naive Bayes, and k-nearest neighbor classifiers.Results:There was a statistically significant difference in the pretreatment QUS-radiomic parameters between radiological complete responders versus partial responders (p < 0.05). The univariable model that demonstrated the greatest classification accuracy included: spectral intercept (SI)-contrast (area under the curve = 0.741). Multivariable models were also computed and showed that the SI-contrast + SI-homogeneity demonstrated an area under the curve = 0.870. The three-feature model demonstrated that the spectral slope-correlation + SI-contrast + SI-homogeneity-predicted response with accuracy of 87.5%.Conclusion:Multivariable QUS-radiomic features of metastatic lymph nodes can predict treatment response a priori.

Hazards of sparing the ipsilateral parotid gland in the node-positive neck with intensity modulated radiation therapy: Spatial analysis of regional recurrence risk

PurposeThe practice of deliberately sparing the ipsilateral parotid gland with intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in patients with node-positive head and neck cancer is controversial. We sought to compare the clinical outcomes among consecutive cohorts of patients with head and neck cancer who were treated with differing strategies to spare the parotid gland that is ipsilateral to the involved neck using IMRT. Methods and materialsA total of 305 patients were treated with IMRT for node-positive squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. The first 139 patients were treated with IMRT whereby the ipsilateral parotid gland was delineated and intentionally designated as an avoidance structure during planning. The subsequent 166 patients were treated by IMRT without the deliberate sparing of the ipsilateral parotid gland. ResultsThe 2-year estimates of overall survival, local-regional control, and distant metastasis-free survival were 84%, 73%, and 87%, respectively. The 2-year estimates of overall survival were 77% and 86% among patients who were treated by IMRT with and without the sparing of the ipsilateral parotid gland, respectively (P = .01). The respective rates of 2-year regional control were 76% and 90% (P < .001). A trend was observed between increased nodal burden in the ipsilateral cervical neck and the likelihood of regional failure for both groups. A spatial evaluation revealed a significantly higher incidence of marginal failures and true misses in the cohort of patients who underwent IMRT with the sparing of the ipsilateral parotid gland. ConclusionCaution is urged when using IMRT to spare patients' parotid gland on the involved side of neck disease. Our study showed a significantly higher preponderance of regional failure, which highlights the need for careful patient selection and consideration of clinical and pathological factors that influence the likelihood of disease recurrence in the ipsilateral neck.

Taxane, platinum and 5-FU prior to chemoradiotherapy benefits patients with stage IV neck node-positive head and neck cancer and a good performance status.

The benefit of adding docetaxel, cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (TPF) induction chemotherapy to chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains uncertain. We aimed to investigate whether ICT is well tolerated when given with prophylactic treatment against predicted adverse effects and which patients benefit most. A single-centre audit identified 132 HNSCC patients with stage IVa/b neck node-positive disease, prescribed TPF followed by CRT. TPF involved three cycles of docetaxel (75mg/m2 IV) and cisplatin (75mg/m2 IV) on day 1 plus 5-FU (750mg/m2 IV) on days 2-5. Planned CRT was 66Gy in 30 fractions of intensity-modulated radiotherapy with concurrent cisplatin (100mg/m2 IV) at the beginning of week 1 and 4 (days 1 and 22). All patients received prophylactic antibiotics and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. Median follow-up was 39.5months. 92.4% of patients completed three cycles of TPF; 95.5% of patients started chemoradiotherapy. Grade 3/4 adverse events were low (febrile neutropenia 3.0%), with no toxicity-related deaths. 3-year overall survival was 67.2%; disease-specific survival was 78.7%; locoregional control was 78.3%. Distant metastases rate was 9.8% (3.0% in those without locoregional recurrence). Good performance status (p=0.002) and poor tumour differentiation (p=0.018) were associated with improved overall survival on multivariate analysis. With prophylactic antibiotics and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor TPF was well tolerated with good survival outcomes. TPF should remain a treatment option for stage IV neck node-positive patients with a good performance status. The use of tumour grade to aid patient selection for TPF warrants investigation.

CT-Based Nodal Radiomic Features and Outcome in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Non-invasive radiomic biomarkers involve high-throughput extraction of imaging data and may provide important complementary information. We investigated the association between pretreatment nodal radiomic features and clinical outcome for head neck cancer (HNC). After institutional review board approval, patients with lymph node positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated with definitive radiotherapy were retrospectively reviewed. Lymph node delineation for radiation planning was based on computed tomography (CT), and 39 intensity and shape based first order radiomics features were extracted from nodal volumes. Loco-regional control (LRC), disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated by a Cox proportional hazard regression univariate analysis (UVA). Association between radiomic features and known p16 status were also analyzed by Wilcoxon rank sum test. A total of 44 patients were identified with a median follow-up of 12 months. Primary sites consisted of oropharynx (n=41) and oral cavity (n=3), 27 (61%) of which 27 (66%) were p16 positive. Median radiation dose was 68 Gy (range 54-70 Gy). The majority of patients received concurrent chemotherapy (n=36, 73%). No radiomic features were associated with p16 status (all p>0.1). The 2-year actuarial LRC, DFS and OS were 84%, 84% and 94%, respectively. On UVA, radiomic features with a trending association to LRC included sphericity (p=0.055), eccentricity (p=0.07), spherical disproportion (p=0.068), convexity (p=0.072), and long-axis dimension (p=0.091), of which, sphericity (p=0.082) and convexity (p=0.072) also showed a trending association with DFS. The radiomics features significantly associated with DFS were surface area [HR 1.02 (95% CI: 1-1.04); p=0.02], long-axis [HR 1.02 (95% CI: 1-1.04); p=0.03], and short-axis dimension [HR 1.09 (95% CI: 1.01-1.18); p=0.04]. Other features with a trending association with DFS were volume (p=0.057), kurtosis (p=0.09), and TGV (p=0.09). No radiomic features predicted for OS on UVA. This study identified certain lymph node radiomic features may be prognostic for DFS in HNC. Further work is required to improve the power and resolution of these features, with the goal towards identifying novel predictive tools to aid in personalized radiotherapy.

Preoperative Positron Emission Tomography for Node-Positive Head and Neck Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Objectives Surgery is the primary treatment modality for node-positive cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck with no distant disease (HNcSCC-M0). The role of preoperative positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scan for these patients is unclear. We compared preoperative PET/CT with final histopathology among patients undergoing lymphadenectomy and/or parotidectomy for HNcSCC-M0. Study Design Case series with chart review. Setting Single Australian center. Subjects and Methods Investigation included disease parameters and preoperative CT and PET/CT findings of 64 patients with node-positive HNcSCC without distant metastatic disease. Fisher's exact test was used to test for a difference in the proportion of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia between the false- and true-negative PET/CT subgroups. Results Of 64 patients who underwent PET/CT prior to surgery for node-positive HNcSCC-M0, 56 underwent a neck dissection and 30, a parotidectomy. Of these, 13 neck dissections and 2 parotidectomies were performed in the absence of FDG-avid (18F-fludeoxyglucose) nodes in these nodal fields. The PET/CT positive predictive value of the neck was 91.1%. The negative predictive values in the neck and parotid regions were 60%. Of the false-negative subgroup, 66.7% had chronic lymphocytic leukemia, compared with 11.1% of the true-negative subgroup ( P = .09). Based on PET/CT findings, surgical plans according to preoperative CT were changed for 6.25% of patients. Conclusion Use of PET/CT for surgical candidates with node-positive HNcSCC-M0 has high specificity and positive predictive value with relatively low sensitivity and negative predictive value. A statistical trend toward a higher rate of chronic lymphocytic leukemia among patients with false-negative results is suggested.

The prognostic value of location and size change of pathological lymph nodes evaluated on CT-scan following radiotherapy in head and neck cancer

BackgroundOverall survival after chemo-radiotherapy (CRT) for head and neck cancer ranges between 50 and 60% after 5 year of follow-up. Local and/or regional recurrence is the most frequent form of therapy failure. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the initial location and size change of pathological lymph nodes as evaluated on Computed Tomography (CT) studies can help predict outcome.MethodsOne hundred eighty-three patients with lymph node-positive head and neck cancer were treated with radiotherapy (RT) or CRT. CT studies pre- and post-treatment were reviewed for lymph node size and location. Data were correlated with local control, regional control, metastasis free survival, disease free survival and overall survival.ResultsRegarding the risk for distant metastasis, a significant influence was seen for the location of the pathological lymph nodes. The metastatic risk increases when levels IV-V are affected rather than levels I-III. A similar observation is seen for levels VI-VII. Regional control improves with decreasing lymph node diameter and volume as evaluated on CT.ConclusionsBoth location and size change of pathological lymph nodes are of prognostic value after CRT for head and neck cancer.

Prognostic markers in metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

The minority of head and neck cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) metastasize to regional lymph nodes. The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical outcomes and prognostic factors for patients with node-positive head and neck cutaneous SCC who underwent lymphadenectomy. We conducted a retrospective single center study using the Kaplan-Meier method for the investigation of the overall survival (OS) and locoregional control rates. The Cox proportional hazards model was evaluated to identify prognostic factors. The median number of positive lymph nodes from 149 lymphadenectomies was 2 in the neck and 1 in the parotid gland. The 5-year OS and locoregional control rates were 50% and 77%, respectively. OS was worse among older patients (hazard ratio [HR], 1.04; p = .015), immunosuppressed patients (HR, 2.06; p = .034), and patients with a high total lymph node ratio (calculated from the number of positive lymph nodes divided by the total number of nodes; multivariate analysis [MVA]; HR, 1.13; p = .019). Low total lymph node ratio is associated with improved outcomes in node-positive head and neck cutaneous SCC. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 39: 772-778, 2017.

CT-based follow-up following radiotherapy or radiochemotherapy for locally advanced head and neck cancer; outcome and development of a prognostic model for regional control.

The purpose of this study was to make a prognostic model for regional relapse in head and neck cancer using clinical and CT parameters. 183 patients with lymph node-positive head and neck cancer were treated between 2002 and 2012 with radiotherapy or concurrent chemoradiotherapy. CT studies pre- and post-treatment were reviewed for lymph node size and the presence of necrosis, extracapsular spread (ECS) and calcifications. For every patient, correlations with 3-year regional control (RC), metastasis-free survival (MFS), disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were made. 3-year outcome rates were as follows: local control of 84%, RC of 80%, MFS of 74%, DFS of 61% and OS of 63%. Pre-treatment nodal size and the presence of necrosis were associated with a poorer outcome. This was also the case for post-treatment lymph node size, the presence of necrosis and ECS. We developed a CT-based prognostic model for RC with an area under the curve of 0.78 (95% confidence interval 0.63; 0.85). We reached a good outcome in our patient cohort using a CT-based follow-up approach. A CT-based model was developed, which can aid in predicting RC. Advances in knowledge: A prognostic model is proposed, which can aid in predicting RC and the necessity for post-radiotherapy neck dissection using clinical parameters and parameters derived from the post-treatment CT study. This is the first article to propose a prognostic model for regional relapse in head and neck cancer based on these parameters.

Oncological Outcome and Toxicity With Upfront Neck Dissection Prior Chemoradiation Therapy for Clinically Node Positive Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Oncological Outcome and Toxicity With Upfront Neck Dissection Prior Chemoradiation Therapy for Clinically Node Positive Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Effectiveness and Safety of Selective Neck Dissection in Lymph Node-Positive Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness and safety of selective neck dissection in patients with lymph node-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma to determine regional control and survival rates. Eighty patients with lymph node-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma who underwent selective dissection were included in the study. Regional control, survival rates, and factors affecting survival were analyzed. Regional control was 90%, disease-specific survival was 93.4%, and the overall survival rate was 87.25%. T stage, N stage, age, and extracapsular spread were included in hazard regression models. None of the factors were statistically significant. Selective neck dissection is an effective and oncologically safe treatment option in selected cases. T stage, N stage, and extracapsular spread had no significant impact on disease-specific survival.

Long-term results of positron emission tomography-directed management of the neck in node-positive head and neck cancer after organ preservation therapy

The current study presents the long-term results from a study designed to evaluate a restaging positron emission tomography (PET) directed policy whereby neck dissections were omitted in all node positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (N+HNSCC) patients with PET-negative lymph nodes after definitive radiotherapy (RT), with or without chemotherapy. A post-therapy nodal response assessment with PET and computed tomography (CT) was performed in patients who achieved a complete response at the primary site after definitive radiotherapy. Patients with PET-negative lymph nodes were observed regardless of residual CT abnormalities. One hundred and twelve patients, the majority of whom (83 patients, 74%) had oropharyngeal primaries, were treated on protocol. Median follow-up was 62months. Negative and positive predictive values for the restaging PET was 97.1% and 77.8% respectively, with only one patient who was PET-negative after treatment experiencing an isolated nodal relapse. PET-guided management of the neck following organ preservation therapy effectively spares neck dissections in patients with N+HNSCC without compromising isolated nodal control or overall survival.

Neck dissection for node-positive head and neck cutaneous malignant melanoma

Neck dissection for node-positive head and neck cutaneous malignant melanoma

Therapeutic robot‐assisted neck dissection via a retroauricular or modified facelift approach in head and neck cancer: A comparative study with conventional transcervical neck dissection

In a previous study of robot-assisted neck dissection (RAND), we limited the indication for neck dissection in clinical N0 head and neck cancer. The purpose of this study was for us to present the comparison of the results of therapeutic RAND via a retroauricular or modified facelift approach with outcomes from conventional neck dissection in clinical node-positive head and neck cancer. This study involved a total of 53 patients who underwent neck dissection for head and neck cancer. Operative and pathologic parameters were assessed. The RAND and the conventional neck dissection group consisted of 20 and 33 patients, respectively. The mean operative time for the RAND group was significantly longer than that of the conventional neck dissection group. The mean number of retrieved lymph nodes in the RAND group was not significantly different from the conventional neck dissection group. Therapeutic RAND via a retroauricular or modified facelift approach was successful with satisfactory esthetic results in patients with node-positive head and neck cancer.

Clinical utility of CT and FDG PET/CT in assessing the neck in node-positive head and neck cancer after chemoradiotherapy.

6082 Background: Concurrent chemoradiotherapy has been widely accepted to treat locoregional advanced head and neck cancer, but the need for subsequent neck dissection remains controversial. Our objective was to determine whether CT or fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT is superior in the evaluation of persistent nodal disease after chemoradiotherapy in patients with node-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Methods: Study entry criteria included node-positive HNSCC treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy, a local complete response, and post-treatment CT and FDG PET/CT studies 11 weeks after chemoradiotherapy. Fifty-eight patients with 68 node-positive necks were eligible. Nodes larger than 1 cm (minor axis), or with central necrosis on CT, or any visually hypermetabolic nodes on FDG PET/CT were considered clinically positive. Regardless of PET/CT findings, necks with positive CT were subjected to neck dissection, whereas those with negative CT were observed without neck dissection. Results: Seventeen necks showed positive CT, 13 and 4 of which underwent neck dissection and fine needle aspiration cytology, respectively, resulting in pathologic evidence of persistent nodal disease in 5 necks. Four of 51 necks with negative CT developed regional recurrence. Diagnostic accuracy of CT and PET/CT is shown in table. In general, the negative predictive value (NPV) was equivalent between CT and FDG PET/CT, whereas FDG PET/CT was better than CT in the specificity and accuracy. Conclusions: In patients with HNSCC, both CT and FDG PET/CT after chemoradiotherapy have a high NPV for excluding residual regional disease and avoiding unnecessary neck dissection. Although the NPV is similarly high, PET/CT has superior utility compared with CT because the number of false positive findings is less in PET/CT than CT. [Table: see text]