Analysis of prognostic factors and patterns of failure in patients of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma treated by definitive radiotherapy in a tertiary care cancer center of Northern India

Background: The incidence of oropharyngeal carcinoma is increasing despite decline in the incidence of head and neck cancers of other sites. Functional organ preservation with minimal toxicity and better survival is the management goal in oropharyngeal cancers (OPCs). Morbidity of surgery favors radiotherapy as primary modality in OPCs. Here, we have reviewed and analyzed various prognostic factors and results of conventional radiotherapy in patients treated at our institute with two-dimensional planning. Materials and Methods: The records of 70 patients who were treated radically with radiotherapy with or without concurrent chemotherapy from January 2014 to May 2018 were analyzed in our institute. Results: The median age was 61.5 years with male:female ratio of 6:1. History of tobacco use was present in 83%. Stage IVA comprised the bulk with 63% of cases. Eighty-one percent of the patients received concurrent cisplatin. Median disease-free survival at 1 and 5 years was 71.4% and 54.3%, respectively. Median overall survival at 1 and 5 years was 74.3% and 60%, respectively. Conclusion: Varied patient-related, tumor-related, and treatment-related factors determine the clinical severity and tumor stage and help in predicting survival in oropharyngeal carcinoma.