Treatment patterns and outcomes of palliative systemic therapy in patients with salivary duct carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, not otherwise specified.

BACKGROUND: Salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) and adenocarcinoma, not otherwise specified (adeno-NOS), are rare salivary gland cancers. Data on the efficacy of systemic therapy for these diseases are limited. METHODS: Data were retrospectively collected from patients seen at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center during 1990 to 2020. Objective response rate (ORR) was assessed per RECIST v1.1. Recurrence-free survival (RFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were assessed by Kaplan-Meier method. Cox regression model was performed to identify predictors of survival. RESULTS: The analysis included 200 patients (110 with SDC and 90 with adeno-NOS); 77% had androgen-receptor-positive tumors and 47% had HER2-positive (2+-3+) tumors. Most patients without metastasis at diagnosis underwent surgery (98%) and postoperative radiotherapy (87%). Recurrence rate was 55%, and the median RFS was 2 years. Nodal involvement and positive surgical margins were associated with recurrence (P < .005). Among patients with stage IVA-B disease, addition of systemic therapy to local therapy increased OS (P = .049). The most-used palliative-systemic-therapy regimen was platinum doublet ± trastuzumab. For first-line therapy, the ORR and median PFS were 33% and 5.76 months, respectively, and for second-line therapy the ORR and median PFS were 25% and 5.3 months, respectively. ORR and PFS were higher with HER2-targeting agents. Median OS was 5 years overall and 2 years for metastatic disease. Older age and higher stage were associated with worse OS. CONCLUSION: Adding systemic therapy to local therapy may improve outcomes of patients with locoregionally advanced SDC or adeno-NOS. Except for HER2-targeted therapy, response to palliative systemic therapy is limited. These findings may be used as a benchmark for future drug development.

Surgical management of parapharyngeal ganglioneuroma: case report and review of the literature.

Parapharyngeal ganglioneuroma is a rare benign tumor, with fewer than 40 cases having been reported in the literature. We report a case of parapharyngeal ganglioneuroma in a child, including the presentation, diagnostic testing, treatment, outcome and a review of the literature. The patient presented with a large cervical mass arising from the cervical sympathetic chain. Complete excision of the ganglioneuroma was possible via a transcervical dissection approach without mandibulotomy. Clinical follow-up was conducted, and no recurrence has been observed to date.

Therapeutic approaches and outcomes in patients with larynx or hypopharynx high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma: A single-center retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: High-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma of the larynx (HG-NECL) is rare and aggressive with limited data regarding response to systemic therapy. We evaluated clinicopathological features, therapeutic approaches, and outcomes in patients with laryngeal or hypopharyngeal HG-NECL. METHODS: Data were retrospectively collected through 1997-2020. Median disease-free (mDFS), progression-free (mPFS), and overall survival (mOS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Fifteen patients were identified; most had locoregional (N = 7) or metastatic disease (N = 5). The main curative-intent treatment was chemoradiation concurrent with platinum-based chemotherapy; the rate of complete response was 78%. Most patients (80%) developed recurrence; the mDFS was 13.1 months. For the first-line palliative therapy, the ORR and mPFS were 50% and 3.1 months, respectively. For all patients, the mOS was 17.8 months, and 8.6 months for metastatic disease. CONCLUSION: Laryngeal HG-NEC is associated with high relapse rates and dismal prognosis for those with recurrent/metastatic disease. Novel therapeutic strategies are needed.

Response rates and survival to systemic therapy after immune checkpoint inhibitor failure in recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: Prior reports have demonstrated a potential enhancement in overall response rate (ORR) to chemotherapy after exposure to immunotherapy. The goal of this study was to evaluate the ORR and survival to chemotherapy and/or targeted therapy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients who progressed on immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively collected clinical and pathologic data from patients with recurrent/metastatic HNSCC who progressed on ICI and subsequently received chemotherapy or targeted therapy. ORR was assessed by RECIST version 1.1. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: A total of 43 patients met criteria for inclusion. The majority were male (91%) and former smokers (60%). Most patients received ICI as first-line (58.14%); the vast majority was platinum exposed (90.7%). The ORR to ICI was 21%. The ORR to systemic therapy before ICI was 47%, and the ORR after ICI failure was 42%. After progression on ICI, the median PFS and OS on the subsequent line of therapy were 4.2 and 8.4 months respectively. CONCLUSION: In our cohort of recurrent/metastatic HNSCC patients, the ORR and OS to systemic therapy after progression on ICI were higher than historical controls for second-line or beyond. Further investigations are warranted to better characterize optimal sequencing and combination strategies.

Impact of Neoadjuvant Durvalumab with or without Tremelimumab on CD8+ Tumor Lymphocyte Density, Safety, and Efficacy in Patients with Oropharynx Cancer: CIAO Trial Results.

PURPOSE: In oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPC), high CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (CD8+TIL) density confers improved prognosis. We compared neoadjuvant durvalumab (PD-L1 inhibitor) with durvalumab + tremelimumab (CTLA-4 inhibitor) in terms of impact on CD8+TIL density, safety, and efficacy in patients with OPC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with newly diagnosed stage II-IVA OPC or locoregionally recurrent OPC amenable to resection were included. Patients were randomized to two cycles of durvalumab or durvalumab + tremelimumab before surgery. The primary endpoint was change between baseline and resection specimen in CD8+TIL density between arms. Secondary endpoints included safety, response rate per RECIST, major pathologic response (MPR; ≤10% viable tumor cells) rate, and patient-reported outcomes. RESULTS: Of 28 eligible patients (14/arm), 20 (71%) had newly diagnosed OPC, and 24 (86%) were p16-positive. The posttreatment to pretreatment median CD8+TIL density ratio was 1.31 for durvalumab and 1.15 for combination treatment (P = 0.97; 95% CI: -1.07-2.28). In each group, 6 patients (43%, 95% CI: 17.66-71.14) had a response. Eight patients (29%) had a MPR at the primary tumor and/or nodal metastases. Neither baseline CD8+TIL density nor PD-L1 expression level correlated with overall response, but a trend toward greater CD8+TIL change in patients with a MPR was seen (P = 0.059; 95% CI: -0.33-3.46). Four patients (14%) had grade ≥3 adverse events. At median follow-up time of 15.79 months, all patients were alive, and one had an additional recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Durvalumab + tremelimumab did not increase CD8+TIL density more than durvalumab alone did. The observed safety and activity support further investigation of neoadjuvant checkpoint inhibitor for OPC.

Valor prognóstico da espessura tumoral no carcinoma escamocelular avançado do lábio inferior e sua correlação com metástases cervicais / Prognostic value of tumor thickness in advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the lower lip and their correlation with neck metastases

Introdução: O carcinoma escamocelular (CEC) do lábio inferioré um dos tumores malignos mais comuns da cavidade oral. Aespessura tumoral é relativamente um novo fator prognósticopara o câncer de lábio inferior e sua importância em casosavançados é incerto. Objetivo: Avaliar o valor prognóstico daespessura tumoral no CEC avançado do lábio inferior. Método:Análise retrospectiva de 31 pacientes diagnosticados com CECavançado do lábio inferior e tratados cirurgicamente no InstitutoNacional do Câncer (Rio de Janeiro, Brasil), durante o períodoentre 2000 e 2009. Foram analisadas variáveis relacionadasà espessura tumoral, metástase cervical e sobrevida global.Resultados: Metástases cervicais ocorreram em 61,2% dospacientes. A espessura tumoral foi um fator preditor independentede metástases cervicais, e quando utilizado o ponto de corte de 5mm, a taxa de metástases cervicais foi de 5,3% em comparaçãocom 94,7% dos pacientes com tumores maiores que 5 mm deespessura (p = 0,001). A ocorrência de metástases cervicais foium fator preditor independente para a redução da sobrevivênciaglobal (p = 0,003). Conclusão: A espessura tumoral foi um fatorpreditor independente de metástase cervical no CEC avançadode lábio inferior. Na ocorrência de metástases cervicais há umasignificativa redução da sobrevida global.