Impact of human papillomavirus status on survival in patients with oral cancer.

Objectives: To examine the association between the human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and overall survival rate in patients with oral cancer. Methods: This retrospective cohort study examined HPV status in 454 patients who were diagnosed with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) using the records of patients who underwent an initial treatment for OSCC between 2012 and 2021 at our institution as retrieved from the Cancer Registry database. The survival rates of the HPV-positive and HPV-negative groups were assessed and compared, and independent factors associated with survival were analyzed using multivariate Cox regression models. Results: Of the 454 patients with OSCC included in this study, 73 were excluded for invalid HPV tests. Of the remaining patients, 39 and 342 patients were categorized into HPV-positive and HPV-negative groups, respectively. The prevalence of HPV-positive in the patients with OSCC was 10.2% (95% confidence interval 7.2%-13.2%). The 3-year overall survival rates were 56.2% and 53.9% in the HPV-positive and HPV-negative groups, respectively. The 3-year disease-specific survival rates in the HPV-positive and HPV-negative groups were 60.2% and 56.9%, respectively. The survival differences were not statistically significant. HPV-positive status was not a significant predictor of overall survival in the multivariable Cox regression analyses (p = 0.728). Conclusion: The prevalence of HPV-positivity among patients with OSCC in the study was 10.2%. No association was found between HPV-positive status and 3-year overall survival in patients with oral cancer. Level of evidence: Level 3.

Prognostic value of pretreatment lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio in patients with advanced oral cavity cancer.

Introduction: Lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) has been reported as a prognostic factor in many cancers but the data are to date limited for its use in oral cavity cancer. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of LMR in advanced-stage oral cavity cancer. Methods: Data from 211 advanced-stage oral cancer patients treated with curative intent between January 2009 and December 2015 were obtained from the hospital information system. Pretreatment LMR and other hematologic parameters were recorded and an LMR cutoff value was calculated. Overall survival between the groups above (high LMR) and below (low LMR) the cutoff was compared and hazard ratios from univariate and multivariate analyses using a Cox proportional hazards model calculated. Results: Overall survival and disease-specific survival were better in the high LMR group. The 5-year overall survival rates were 31.6% and 15% in the high LMR and low LMR groups, respectively. Multivariate analysis using a Cox proportional hazards model showed that treatment modality and LMR were the only factors associated with overall survival. Conclusion: Low LMR was associated with poor survival outcome in patients with advanced-stage oral cavity cancer. Level of Evidence: 2b.

Platelet to lymphocyte ratio and red cell distribution width as prognostic factors for survival and recurrence in patients with oral cancer.

Although platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and red cell distribution width (RDW) have been reported as good predictors for survival outcomes in various cancers, there is limited data supporting these as reliable predictors in oral cancer. This study thus aimed to assess the prognostic value of PLR and RDW markers in predicting survival and recurrence rates in patients with oral cancer. The records of 374 oral cancer patients treated with curative intent over a 7-year period (2009-2015) were reviewed. Survival and recurrence outcomes were compared between those with low and high PLR (≤135 vs. >135) and those with low and high RDW (≤14.05 vs. >14.05) using hazard ratios (HR). The 5-year disease-specific survival was significantly higher and recurrence rate significantly lower among the low PLR group compared to the high PLR group (65.7 vs. 37.6%; p < 0.001 and 34.4 and 57.5%; p < 0.001), respectively. There were no significant differences between the low and high RDW groups for disease-specific survival (53.6 vs. 54.7%, p = 0.408) and recurrence (40.0% vs. 53.8%, p = 0.079). Multivariate analysis showed that PLR was associated with disease-specific survival (HR = 2.05, p < 0.001) and recurrence (HR = 1.69, p < 0.005) after adjusting for other factors, but not RDW. High PLR shows promise as a prognostic predictor for poor survival and recurrence in patients with oral cancer, but further studies are required. RDW has no prognostic value on any outcome.

Treatment outcome of advance staged oral cavity cancer: concurrent chemoradiotherapy compared with primary surgery.

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) has been reported as effective and has become an acceptable treatment in advanced oral cancer. However, to date there is insufficient data to conclude that CCRT provides a good survival outcome. The purpose of this study was to compare survival rates and complications in patients with resectable advanced oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma treated with either CCRT or surgery with adjuvant radiotherapy (RT)/chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Stage III or IVa oral cavity carcinoma patients treated with curative intent by either CCRT or surgery with adjuvant RT were identified over a 7-year period (2009-2015). Survival rates and treatment complications were analyzed and compared between the two groups. 61 patients underwent CCRT and 128 patients underwent surgical excision and received postoperative RT. There was no statistically significant difference in survival outcome between the two treatment groups. 5-year overall survival rates (OS) were 33 versus 24% (P = 0.191) and the disease-specific survival rates (DSS) were 27 versus 25% (P = 0.857) when comparing the CCRT group and surgery with adjuvant RT/CRT group, respectively. Long-term complications were comparable between the two groups. CCRT has comparable survival outcome and complications for the treatment of advanced oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma, compared to surgery with adjuvant RT/CRT.