Low rates of contralateral neck failure in unilaterally treated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma with prospectively defined criteria of lateralization
Corresponding Author
Kenneth Shung Hu MD
Department of Radiation Oncology, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York
Correspondence Kenneth Hu, Department of Radiation Oncology, New York University Langone Medical Center, 160 East 34th Street, LL1, New York, NY 10016. Email: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorWaleed Fouad Mourad MD
Department of Radiation Oncology, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, Georgia
Search for more papers by this authorMauricio Gamez MD
Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona
Search for more papers by this authorJoseph Safdieh MD
Department of Radiation Oncology, Mount Sinai at Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, New York
Search for more papers by this authorWilson Lin BS
Department of Radiation Oncology, Mount Sinai at Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, New York
Search for more papers by this authorAdam Saul Jacobson MD
Department of Otolaryngology, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York
Search for more papers by this authorMark Stephen Persky MD
Department of Otolaryngology, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York
Search for more papers by this authorMark Lawrence Urken MD
Department of Otolaryngology, Mount Sinai at Beth Israel, New York, New York
Search for more papers by this authorBruce Culliney MD
Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai at Beth Israel, New York, New York
Search for more papers by this authorZujun Li MD
Department of Medicine, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York
Search for more papers by this authorTheresa Nguyen Tran MD
Department of Otolaryngology, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York
Search for more papers by this authorStimson Pryor Schantz MD
Department of Otolaryngology, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, New York, New York
Search for more papers by this authorJuskaran Chadha MD
Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai at Roosevelt Hospital, New York, New York
Search for more papers by this authorLouis Benjamin Harrison MD
Department of Radiation Oncology, Moffitt Comprehensive Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Kenneth Shung Hu MD
Department of Radiation Oncology, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York
Correspondence Kenneth Hu, Department of Radiation Oncology, New York University Langone Medical Center, 160 East 34th Street, LL1, New York, NY 10016. Email: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorWaleed Fouad Mourad MD
Department of Radiation Oncology, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, Georgia
Search for more papers by this authorMauricio Gamez MD
Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona
Search for more papers by this authorJoseph Safdieh MD
Department of Radiation Oncology, Mount Sinai at Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, New York
Search for more papers by this authorWilson Lin BS
Department of Radiation Oncology, Mount Sinai at Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, New York
Search for more papers by this authorAdam Saul Jacobson MD
Department of Otolaryngology, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York
Search for more papers by this authorMark Stephen Persky MD
Department of Otolaryngology, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York
Search for more papers by this authorMark Lawrence Urken MD
Department of Otolaryngology, Mount Sinai at Beth Israel, New York, New York
Search for more papers by this authorBruce Culliney MD
Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai at Beth Israel, New York, New York
Search for more papers by this authorZujun Li MD
Department of Medicine, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York
Search for more papers by this authorTheresa Nguyen Tran MD
Department of Otolaryngology, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York
Search for more papers by this authorStimson Pryor Schantz MD
Department of Otolaryngology, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, New York, New York
Search for more papers by this authorJuskaran Chadha MD
Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai at Roosevelt Hospital, New York, New York
Search for more papers by this authorLouis Benjamin Harrison MD
Department of Radiation Oncology, Moffitt Comprehensive Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
Background
Unilateral radiotherapy (RT) of oropharyngeal carcinomas is accepted for patients with lateralized primary and low-volume nodal disease. Utilizing prospectively defined criteria of laterality and staging positron emission tomography (PET)/CT, we studied outcomes in patients with advanced-stage oropharyngeal cancer undergoing unilateral RT.
Methods
Thirty-seven patients with oropharyngeal tumors >1 cm from midline regardless of node status underwent unilateral RT and were followed prospectively. Patient characteristics: T1 = 11; T2 = 22; T3 = 4; N0 = 3; N1 = 9; N2a = 3; N2b = 21; and Nx = 1. Dosimetry were determined and weekly National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) distress thermometer data were collected.
Results
At median follow-up of 32 months, 3-year locoregional control, contralateral regional failure, distant metastasis-free survival, and disease-free survival were 96%, 0%, 7%, and 93%, respectively.
Conclusion
Low rates of contralateral neck failure are demonstrated utilizing prospectively defined criteria for unilateral RT. The tolerances of contralateral organs are respected and patients report low to moderate levels of distress throughout treatment.
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