Prognostic Factors of Potential Early Recurrence of Hypopharyngeal Carcinoma

Background/aim Prognostic factors of hypopharyngeal carcinoma have been reported previously. However, recurrent cases of this disease occurring within 6 months of treatment have been excluded or poorly documented in many studies. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic factors of hypopharyngeal carcinoma recurrence within 6 months. Patients and methods A total of 120 patients were eligible for this retrospective study. Recurrent cases of hypopharyngeal carcinoma occurring within 6 months of treatment were evaluated and compared with non-recurrent cases. Results Recurrence within 6 months was detected in 28/50 cases. In univariate analyses, classification markers (pT≥4a and cN≥2b) were statistically significant prognostic factors for early recurrence (p=0.04 and p=0.04, respectively); however, only pT≥4a was predictive of recurrence in multivariate analyses (p=0.02). Conclusion Risk stratification according to the prognostic factor pT≥4a will allow physicians to identify patients who should be followed meticulously within the first 6 months.