1. Early Improved Functional Outcomes in Head and Neck Cancer Patients with Primary Tumor Detection
- Author
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Kalavacherla, Sandhya, Bernard, Benjamin, Kim, Sangwoo S, Dornisch, Anna, Blumenfeld, Liza, Linnemeyer‐Risser, Kristen, Sanghvi, Parag, and Guo, Theresa
- Subjects
Biomedical and Clinical Sciences ,Clinical Sciences ,Oncology and Carcinogenesis ,Cancer ,Dental/Oral and Craniofacial Disease ,Clinical Research ,Prevention ,Digestive Diseases ,Humans ,Carcinoma ,Squamous Cell ,Retrospective Studies ,Papillomavirus Infections ,Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography ,Head and Neck Neoplasms ,Radiopharmaceuticals ,Weight Loss ,Oropharyngeal Neoplasms ,head and neck cancer management ,human papillomavirus-HPV ,oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma ,unknown primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma ,Otorhinolaryngology ,Clinical sciences - Abstract
ObjectivesWe characterize functional outcomes in head and neck cancer of unknown primary (CUP) based on primary site identification.MethodsIn this retrospective study, CUP cases were categorized as known primaries (KP) if a tumor was localized after diagnostic workup or persisting unknown primaries (UP). Age, sex, HPV status, diagnostic methods, and treatments regimens were collected. Pretreatment and short-term posttreatment (3-6 months after completion of treatment) weights, PHQ-9, Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10), and Voice Handicap Index (VHI-10) scores were compared between UP and KP.ResultsAmong 67 CUP patients, 35 (52.2%) had identified primaries (91.4% oropharyngeal and 8.6% nasopharyngeal). KP patients were younger (58 vs. 64, p = 0.04) and more likely to be HPV-positive (88.6% vs. 50%, p = 0.002). Overall detection rates were 16.7% for PET/CT, 34.7% for direct laryngoscopy, and 46.6% for transoral robotic oropharyngectomy. Diagnostic workup was not significantly different between groups. Patients with KP received smaller intermediate radiation dose volumes (436.5 vs. 278.9 cc, p = 0.03) and lower doses to the cricopharyngeal muscle (41.6 vs. 24.6 Gy, p = 0.03).Pretreatment weights, PHQ-9, EAT-10, and VHI-10 scores did not differ between groups. However, posttreatment, UP had greater relative weight loss (-14.1% vs. -7.6%, p = 0.032), higher EAT-10 scores (12.5 vs. 3, p = 0.004), and higher PHQ-9 scores (6 vs. 1.4, p = 0.017). Specifically, UP reported more stressful swallowing, difficulty swallowing solids and pills, and swallowing affecting public eating.ConclusionKP patients experienced less weight loss, depression, and reduced swallowing dysfunction, highlighting an early functional benefit of primary tumor identification likely driven by reduced radiation treatment volumes.Level of evidence4 Laryngoscope, 134:701-707, 2024.
- Published
- 2024