A multicenter real-world analysis of risk factors, therapeutics, and outcomes of patients with metastatic basal cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Metastatic basal cell carcinoma (mBCC) is rare and there are limited data regarding patient and tumor risk factors, optimal treatments, and disease prognosis. OBJECTIVE: To assess patient and tumor characteristics, therapeutics, and outcomes of mBCC stratified by location of metastasis. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of 53 patients with mBCC treated at 4 large academic centers in Boston, Massachusetts; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Cleveland, Ohio between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2021. RESULTS: A total of 53 patients with mBCC were identified across 4 centers, 22 (42%) of whom had mBCC with spread limited to lymph nodes and 31 (58%) patients with distant organ spread (with or without lymph node involvement). Overall, half (n = 11) of patients with nodal metastasis achieved complete remission of disease, compared with just 1 (3%) patient with distant metastasis. The 5-year survival for nodal and distant metastatic patients was 89.3% and 61.0%, respectively. LIMITATIONS: Small sample size due to disease rarity. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Patients with nodal disease are more likely to have disease remission whereas patients with distant metastasis are more likely to have persistent disease and die from their disease. However, 5-year survival rates exceed 50%, even for stage IV disease.

Radiotherapy and paclitaxel plus pazopanib or placebo in anaplastic thyroid cancer (NRG/RTOG 0912): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre, phase 2 trial.

BACKGROUND: Anaplastic thyroid cancer is a rare and aggressive cancer with no standard radiotherapy-based local treatment. Based on data suggesting synergy between pazopanib and paclitaxel in anaplastic thyroid cancer, NRG Oncology did a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised phase 2 clinical trial comparing concurrent paclitaxel and intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) with the addition of pazopanib or placebo with the aim of improving overall survival in this patient population. METHODS: Eligible patients were aged 18 years or older with a pathological diagnosis of anaplastic thyroid cancer, any TNM stage, Zubrod performance status of 0-2, no recent haemoptysis or bleeding, and no brain metastases. Patients were enrolled from 34 centres in the USA. Initially, a run-in was done to establish safety. In the randomised phase 2 trial, patients in the experimental group (pazopanib) received 2-3 weeks of weekly paclitaxel (80 mg/m2) intravenously and daily pazopanib suspension 400 mg orally followed by concurrent weekly paclitaxel (50 mg/m2), daily pazopanib (300 mg), and IMRT 66 Gy given in 33 daily fractions (2 Gy fractions). In the control group (placebo), pazopanib was replaced by matching placebo. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to the two treatment groups by permuted block randomisation by NRG Oncology with stratification by metastatic disease. All investigators, patients, and funders of the study were masked to group allocation. The primary endpoint was overall survival in the intention-to-treat population. Safety was assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of study treatment. This trial is registered with Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01236547, and is complete. FINDINGS: The safety run-showed the final dosing regimen to be safe based on two out of nine participants having adverse events of predefined concern. Between June 23, 2014, and Dec 30, 2016, 89 patients were enrolled to the phase 2 trial, of whom 71 were eligible (36 in the pazopanib group and 35 in the placebo group; 34 [48%] males and 37 [52%] females). At the final analysis (data cutoff March 9, 2020), with a median follow-up of 2·9 years (IQR 0·002-4·0), 61 patients had died. Overall survival was not significantly improved with pazopanib versus placebo, with a median overall survival of 5·7 months (95% CI 4·0-12·8) in the pazopanib group versus 7·3 months (4·3-10·6) in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·86, 95% CI 0·52-1·43; one-sided log-rank p=0·28). 1-year overall survival was 37·1% (95% CI 21·1-53·2) in the pazopanib group and 29·0% (13·2-44·8) in the placebo group. The incidence of grade 3-5 adverse events did not differ significantly between the treatment groups (pazopanib 88·9% [32 of 36 patients] and placebo 85·3% [29 of 34 patients]; p=0·73). The most common clinically significant grade 3-4 adverse events in the 70 eligible treated patients (36 in the pazopanib group and 34 in the placebo group) were dysphagia (13 [36%] vs 10 [29%]), radiation dermatitis (8 [22%] vs 13 [38%]), increased alanine aminotransferase (12 [33%] vs none), increased aspartate aminotransferase (eight [22%] vs none), and oral mucositis (five [14%] vs eight [24%]). Treatment-related serious adverse events were reported for 16 (44%) patients on pazopanib and 12 (35%) patients on placebo. The most common serious adverse events were dehydration and thromboembolic event (three [8%] each) in patients on pazopanib and oral mucositis (three [8%]) in those on placebo. There was one treatment-related death in each group (sepsis in the pazopanib group and pneumonitis in the placebo group). INTERPRETATION: To our knowledge, this study is the largest randomised anaplastic thyroid cancer study that has completed accrual showing feasibility in a multicenter NCI National Clinical Trials Network setting. Although no significant improvement in overall survival was recorded in the pazopanib group, the treatment combination was shown to be feasible and safe, and hypothesis-generating data that might warrant further investigation were generated. FUNDING: National Cancer Institute and Novartis.

ERBB2 Amplification and HER2 Expression in Salivary Duct Carcinoma: Evaluation of Scoring Guidelines and Potential for Expanded Anti-HER2 Therapy.

Salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) is aggressive with limited therapeutic options. A subset of SDC display human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) protein overexpression by immunohistochemistry, and some show ERBB2 gene amplification. Guidelines for HER2 scoring are not firmly established. Recent advances in breast carcinoma have established a role for anti-HER2 therapies in lesions with low HER2 expression lacking ERBB2 amplification. Delineating HER2 staining patterns in SDC is critical for evaluating anti-HER2 treatments. In total, 53 cases of SDC resected at our institution between 2004 and 2020 were identified. Androgen receptor (AR) and HER2 immunohistochemistry and ERBB2 fluorescence in situ hybridization were performed in all cases. AR expression was scored for percentage positive cells and categorized as positive (>10% of cells), low positive (1%-10%), or negative (<1%). HER2 staining levels and patterns were recorded, scored using 2018 ASCO/CAP guidelines, and categorized into HER2-positive (3+ or 2+ with ERBB2 amplification), HER2-low (1+ or 2+ without ERBB2 amplification), HER2-very low (faint staining in <10% of cells), or HER2-absent types. Clinical parameters and vital status were recorded. Median age was 70 years, with a male predominance. ERBB2-amplified tumors (11/53; 20.8%) presented at lower pT stages (pTis/pT1/pT2; P = .005, Fisher exact test) and more frequently had perineural invasion (P = .007, Fisher exact test) compared with ERBB2 nonamplified tumors; no other pathologic features differed significantly by gene amplification status. In addition, 2+ HER2 staining by 2018 ASCO/CAP criteria was most common (26/53; 49%); only 4 cases (8%) were HER2-absent status; 3+ HER2 staining was found in 9 tumors, and all were ERBB2 amplified. Six patients with HER2-expressing tumors received trastuzumab therapy, including 2 with ERBB2-amplified tumors. Overall survival and recurrence-free survival did not differ significantly based on ERBB2 status. This work suggests that 2018 ASCO/CAP guidelines for HER2 evaluation in breast carcinoma could be applied to SDC. Our findings also show broad overexpression of HER2 in SDC raising the possibility that more patients may benefit from anti-HER2-directed therapies.

Survival Outcomes of Advanced Thyroid Cancer Enriched in Brain Metastases Following Treatment With Small Molecule Inhibitors.

OBJECTIVE: Small molecule inhibitors (SMIs) are targeted therapies increasingly used in advanced thyroid carcinomas. This study aimed to evaluate the survival outcomes of thyroid cancer on SMI treatment, including in patients with brain metastases. METHODS: This retrospective study included patients with thyroid carcinomas who received at least one SMI between 2008 and 2022 at a tertiary level, academic institution. SMI included lenvatinib, sorafenib, dabrafenib-trametinib, selpercatinib, and cabozantinib. Patients were grouped by the presence of brain metastasis. Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests modeled the overall survival (OS), defined from detection of first metastasis. RESULTS: In total, 116 patients (49.1% female, median age 61.1 years [IQR, 51.1-71.0]) were included. Thyroid cancer subtypes were: 57 (49.6%) papillary, 23 (19.8%) anaplastic, 23 (19.8%) medullary, and 13 (11.2%) follicular. There were 18 (15.5%) patients with brain metastases, and 98 (84.5%) with visceral metastases. Age, sex, thyroid subtype, SMI, and time to recurrence were not different between cohorts. OS was shorter in the brain metastasis cohort (31.7 vs 42.2 months, P =.44) and was not different after excluding anaplastic thyroid cancer (29.1 vs 62.3 months, P =.21). In the case of papillary thyroid cancer, patients with brain metastases trended toward worse OS (22.0 vs 59.9 months, P =.13). Nonanaplastic histology, total thyroidectomy (OR, 40.0; P <.001), number of unique therapies (OR, 10.9; P =.047), and mutation-directed therapy (OR, 24.7; P =.003) were associated with improved OS. CONCLUSION: This single-institutional analysis reports survival outcomes of 116 patients with advanced thyroid cancer on targeted therapies, including 18 patients with brain metastases. Mutation-directed therapy for BRAFV600E mutations, RET mutations, RET fusions, and NTRK fusions had superior survival.

Image analysis reveals differences in tumor multinucleations in Black and White patients with human papillomavirus-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Understanding biological differences between different racial groups of human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) patients, who have differences in terms of incidence, survival, and tumor morphology, can facilitate accurate prognostic biomarkers, which can help develop personalized treatment strategies. METHODS: This study evaluated whether there were morphologic differences between HPV-associated tumors from Black and White patients in terms of multinucleation index (MuNI), an image analysis-derived metric that measures density of multinucleated tumor cells within epithelial regions on hematoxylin-eosin images and previously has been prognostic in HPV-associated OPSCC patients. In this study, the authors specifically evaluated whether the same MuNI cutoff that was prognostic of overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival in their previous study, TTR , is valid for Black and White patients, separately. We also evaluated population-specific cutoffs, TB for Blacks and TW for Whites, for risk stratification. RESULTS: MuNI was statistically significantly different between Black (mean, 3.88e-4; median, 3.67e-04) and White patients (mean, 3.36e-04; median, 2.99e-04), with p = .0078. Using TTR , MuNI was prognostic of OS in the entire population with hazard ratio (HR) of 1.71 (p = .002; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21-2.43) and in White patients with HR of 1.72 (p = .005; 95% CI, 1.18-2.51). Population-specific cutoff, TW , yielded improved HR of 1.77 (p = .003; 95% CI, 1.21-2.58) for White patients, whereas TB did not improve risk-stratification in Black patients with HR of 0.6 (p = .3; HR, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.2-1.80). CONCLUSIONS: Histological difference between White and Black patient tumors in terms of multinucleated tumor cells suggests the need for considering population-specific prognostic biomarkers for personalized risk stratification strategies for HPV-associated OPSCC patients.

Identifying Brigham and Women's Hospital stage T2a cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas at risk of poor outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Although most of the poor outcomes with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) occur in high-stage tumors, 26% of nodal metastases and 8% of disease-specific deaths develop in Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) T2a tumors. OBJECTIVE: To determine risk factors associated with poor outcomes (nodal metastasis, distant metastases, and disease-specific deaths) in BWH T2a CSCC. METHODS: A 17-year retrospective multi-institutional cohort study of primary CSCC BWH T2a tumors. A predictive model based on tumor characteristics was developed to identify those at higher risk of poor outcomes. RESULTS: Presence of 1 major criterion (primary tumor diameter ≥40 mm, invasion depth beyond subcutaneous fat, poor differentiation, or large-caliber perineural invasion) and ≥ 1 minor criterion (invasion depth in subcutaneous fat, moderate differentiation, small-caliber perineural invasion, or lymphovascular invasion) was most predictive of developing poor outcomes (area under the curve, 0.53; C-statistic, 0.60). This model has a sensitivity of 7.7%, specificity of 97.4%, and a positive and negative predictive value of 33.3% and 86.1%, respectively. The 5-year cumulative incidence of poor outcomes in these tumors is 8.0% (95% CI, 5.1-13.7) compared to 2.8% (95% CI, 1.9-4.1) in other T2a tumors (sub-hazard ratio, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.5-5.8). LIMITATIONS: Multi-institutional cohort study was not externally validated. CONCLUSIONS: BWH T2a-high CSCCs have an 8% chance of developing poor outcomes.

Higher metastasis and death rates in cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas with lymphovascular invasion.

BACKGROUND: Lymphovascular invasion (LVI) is an aggressive histologic finding but is excluded from current staging systems due to its lack of demonstrated independent prognostic significance. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of LVI on cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma tumor outcomes. METHODS: In total, 10,707 cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma tumors from a 20-year, retrospective, multicenter cohort were stratified by the presence (LVI+) or absence (LVI-) of LVI. Outcomes (local recurrence, in-transit metastasis, nodal metastasis, disease-specific death) were compared based on low (Brigham and Women's Hospital [BWH] stage T1/T2a) and high (BWH T2b/T3) tumor stages. RESULTS: Of the 10,707 tumors, 78 had LVI. The analysis of low-stage BWH tumors showed the LVI+ group had a significantly higher 5-year cumulative incidence of local recurrence (LVI+: 12.3%; LVI-: 1.1%; P < .01), metastasis (LVI+: 4.2%; LVI-: 0.4%; P < .01), and disease-specific death (LVI+: 16.2%; LVI-: 0.4%; P < .01). The analysis of BWH high-stage tumors showed the LVI+ group maintained a higher 5-year cumulative incidence of metastasis (LVI+: 28.5%; LVI-: 16.8%; P = .06) and disease-specific death (LVI+: 25.3%; LVI-: 13.9%; P = .03), however, there was no difference in local recurrence (LVI+: 16.3%; LVI-: 15.8%; P = .11). LIMITATIONS: Retrospective study design. CONCLUSION: LVI+ cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas have higher rates of metastasis and death at 5 years. Future staging systems should consider incorporating LVI.

Adjuvant radiation following clear margin resection of high T-stage cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma halves the risk of local and locoregional recurrence: A dual-center retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Although adjuvant radiation (ART) following clear margin surgery is recommended for select high-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas, efficacy data are limited. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of ART on outcomes following clear margin surgery for high T-stage cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas. METHODS: A 20-year retrospective cohort study at 2 academic centers of high T-stage cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (Brigham and Women's Hospital T2b or T3) with negative histologic margins post resection. Local recurrence (LR) and locoregional recurrence (LRR) were compared by whether tumors received ART or observation. RESULTS: A total of 508 tumors were included, of which 96 underwent ART (ART+). ART+ had a lower 5-year cumulative incidence of LR (ART+, 3.6% [95% CI, 1.6%-7.7%] vs ART-, 8.7% [95% CI, 6.3%-12.0%]) and LRR (ART+, 7.5% [95% CI, 4.4%-11.9%] vs ART-, 15.3% [95% CI, 11.9%-22.1%]). Recurrent tumors ≥6 cm or Brigham and Women's Hospital T3 tumors were classified as high-risk due to a higher 5-year cumulative incidence of LRR (High-risk, 26.3% [95% CI, 19.0%-35.7%]). High-risk tumors treated with ART had a lower 5-year cumulative incidence of LRR (ART+, 17.2% [95% CI, 11.9%-26.4%] vs ART-, 31.0% [95% CI, 26.1%-40.8%]). LIMITATIONS: Retrospective design, heterogeneous population, variations in radiation protocols. CONCLUSION: ART following clear margin surgery for high T-stage cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas resulted in half the risk of LR and LRR.

Enhanced metastatic risk assessment in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma with the 40-gene expression profile test.

Aim: To clinically validate the 40-gene expression profile (40-GEP) test for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma patients and evaluate coupling the test with individual clinicopathologic risk factor-based assessment methods. Patients & methods: In a 33-site study, primary tumors with known patient outcomes were assessed under clinical testing conditions (n = 420). The 40-GEP results were integrated with clinicopathologic risk factors. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were performed for metastasis. Results: The 40-GEP test demonstrated significant prognostic value. Risk classification was improved via integration of 40-GEP results with clinicopathologic risk factor-based assessment, with metastasis rates near the general cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma population for class 1 and ≥50% for class 2B. Conclusion: Combining molecular profiling with clinicopathologic risk factor assessment enhances stratification of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma patients and may inform decision-making for risk-appropriate management strategies.

Plain language summary Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma is a common skin cancer, with approximately 2 million cases diagnosed each year in the USA. Because substantial numbers of patients experience metastasis, which can result in death, accurate metastatic risk assessment is important. Clinicians use clinicopathologic factors to determine risk for disease progression. However, traditional methods miss pinpointing many patients who experience metastasis and sometimes categorize patients as at risk who do not develop metastasis, indicating that additional tools are needed. A molecular test, the 40-gene expression profile (40-GEP), was developed to predict metastatic risk based on the biology of the tumor. This study demonstrates that the 40-GEP, either as an independent tool or together with traditional methods, accurately identifies patients' risk of metastasis. Using the 40-GEP could improve patient management to improve patient outcomes.

Clinical Considerations for Integrating Gene Expression Profiling into Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma Management.

Gene expression profile (GEP) testing is now commercially available for metastatic risk prediction in patients with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) and one or more high-risk factors. The purpose of this article is to provide an early framework for healthcare providers looking to integrate patient-specific tumor biology into their clinical practice using GEP testing. To develop a framework for clinical use, an expert panel was convened to identify CSCC management decision points where GEP testing may be immediately incorporated into practice until the definitive results of prospective trials become available. Based on their discussion, the expert panel focused on the areas of nodal evaluation, adjuvant radiation therapy, and follow-up and surveillance. The panel emphasized that GEP prognostic test results should not currently be used as a surrogate for standard of care treatment but as an additional data point when determining individualized management for patients with high-risk CSCC. Whenever possible, decisions on management plans for these patients should be developed with multidisciplinary input. J Drugs Dermatol. 2021;20:6(Suppl):s5-11. doi:10.36849/JDD.6068.

Rethinking the 10-pack-year rule for favorable human papillomavirus-associated oropharynx carcinoma: A multi-institution analysis.

BACKGROUND: De-intensified treatment strategies for early human papillomavirus-positive (HPV+) oropharynx cancer (OPC) rely on selecting patients with an excellent prognosis. The criterion for enrollment in current de-intensification trials is ≤10 pack-years. More nuance to the pack-year criteria may expand enrollment, improve patient outcomes, and prevent overtreatment. It was hypothesized that patients with more than 10 pack-years may experience favorable outcomes if smoking cessation has been achieved. METHODS: From an institutional review board-approved database, patients with HPV+ oropharyngeal squamous carcinoma treated definitively with radiation with or without chemotherapy were retrospectively identified. Patients with a history of smoking who were eligible for national de-intensification trials were included (cT1-2N1-2b or T3N0-2b [American Joint Committee on Cancer, seventh edition]). Cox regression with penalized smoothing splines was used to evaluate nonlinear effects of cessation. Recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) was used to objectively search for relationships between the 2 colinear variables (pack-years and time since cessation). RESULTS: Among 330 patients meeting the inclusion criteria, 130 (40%) were never smokers, 139 (42%) were former smokers, and 61 (18%) were current smokers. With standard therapy, all former smokers achieved a progression-free survival (PFS) rate higher than 91%, regardless of pack-year exposure. Nonlinear Cox regression demonstrated that more recent cessation was associated with significantly worse PFS even among those with ≤20 pack-years. RPA demonstrated that only current smokers experienced a 2-year PFS rate lower than 91%; former smokers, regardless of pack-years, experienced a 2-year PFS rate higher than 91%. CONCLUSIONS: The 10-pack-year rule may not apply to all early HPV+ OPCs, particularly for former smokers. Future randomized de-intensification trials should consider a broader and more nuanced approach until the predictive role of smoking status is established.

Radiotherapy plus cetuximab or cisplatin in human papillomavirus-positive oropharyngeal cancer (NRG Oncology RTOG 1016): a randomised, multicentre, non-inferiority trial.

BACKGROUND: Patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma have high survival when treated with radiotherapy plus cisplatin. Whether replacement of cisplatin with cetuximab-an antibody against the epidermal growth factor receptor-can preserve high survival and reduce treatment toxicity is unknown. We investigated whether cetuximab would maintain a high proportion of patient survival and reduce acute and late toxicity. METHODS: RTOG 1016 was a randomised, multicentre, non-inferiority trial at 182 health-care centres in the USA and Canada. Eligibility criteria included histologically confirmed HPV-positive oropharyngeal carcinoma; American Joint Committee on Cancer 7th edition clinical categories T1-T2, N2a-N3 M0 or T3-T4, N0-N3 M0; Zubrod performance status 0 or 1; age at least 18 years; and adequate bone marrow, hepatic, and renal function. We randomly assigned patients (1:1) to receive either radiotherapy plus cetuximab or radiotherapy plus cisplatin. Randomisation was balanced by using randomly permuted blocks, and patients were stratified by T category (T1-T2 vs T3-T4), N category (N0-N2a vs N2b-N3), Zubrod performance status (0 vs 1), and tobacco smoking history (≤10 pack-years vs >10 pack-years). Patients were assigned to receive either intravenous cetuximab at a loading dose of 400 mg/m2 5-7 days before radiotherapy initiation, followed by cetuximab 250 mg/m2 weekly for seven doses (total 2150 mg/m2), or cisplatin 100 mg/m2 on days 1 and 22 of radiotherapy (total 200 mg/m2). All patients received accelerated intensity-modulated radiotherapy delivered at 70 Gy in 35 fractions over 6 weeks at six fractions per week (with two fractions given on one day, at least 6 h apart). The primary endpoint was overall survival, defined as time from randomisation to death from any cause, with non-inferiority margin 1·45. Primary analysis was based on the modified intention-to-treat approach, whereby all patients meeting eligibility criteria are included. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01302834. FINDINGS: Between June 9, 2011, and July 31, 2014, 987 patients were enrolled, of whom 849 were randomly assigned to receive radiotherapy plus cetuximab (n=425) or radiotherapy plus cisplatin (n=424). 399 patients assigned to receive cetuximab and 406 patients assigned to receive cisplatin were subsequently eligible. After median follow-up duration of 4·5 years, radiotherapy plus cetuximab did not meet the non-inferiority criteria for overall survival (hazard ratio [HR] 1·45, one-sided 95% upper CI 1·94; p=0·5056 for non-inferiority; one-sided log-rank p=0·0163). Estimated 5-year overall survival was 77·9% (95% CI 73·4-82·5) in the cetuximab group versus 84·6% (80·6-88·6) in the cisplatin group. Progression-free survival was significantly lower in the cetuximab group compared with the cisplatin group (HR 1·72, 95% CI 1·29-2·29; p=0·0002; 5-year progression-free survival 67·3%, 95% CI 62·4-72·2 vs 78·4%, 73·8-83·0), and locoregional failure was significantly higher in the cetuximab group compared with the cisplatin group (HR 2·05, 95% CI 1·35-3·10; 5-year proportions 17·3%, 95% CI 13·7-21·4 vs 9·9%, 6·9-13·6). Proportions of acute moderate to severe toxicity (77·4%, 95% CI 73·0-81·5 vs 81·7%, 77·5-85·3; p=0·1586) and late moderate to severe toxicity (16·5%, 95% CI 12·9-20·7 vs 20·4%, 16·4-24·8; p=0·1904) were similar between the cetuximab and cisplatin groups. INTERPRETATION: For patients with HPV-positive oropharyngeal carcinoma, radiotherapy plus cetuximab showed inferior overall survival and progression-free survival compared with radiotherapy plus cisplatin. Radiotherapy plus cisplatin is the standard of care for eligible patients with HPV-positive oropharyngeal carcinoma. FUNDING: National Cancer Institute USA, Eli Lilly, and The Oral Cancer Foundation.

Evaluation of the utility of localized adjuvant radiation for node-negative primary cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma with clear histologic margins.

BACKGROUND: Though the National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommends consideration of localized adjuvant radiation after clear-margin surgery for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) with large-caliber (≥0.1-mm) nerve invasion (LCNI) and other high-risk features, only a single small study has compared surgery plus adjuvant radiation therapy (S+ART) to surgical monotherapy (SM) for cSCC. OBJECTIVE: Compare S+ART to SM for primary cSCCs with LCNI and other risk factors. METHODS: Matched retrospective cohort study of primary cSCCs (matched on sex, age, immune status, type of surgery, diameter, differentiation, depth, and LCNI) treated with S+ART versus SM. A subgroup analysis of cSCCs with LCNI was performed. RESULTS: In total, 62 cSCCs were included in matched analysis (31 S+ART and 31 SM) and 33 cSCCs in the LCNI analysis (16 S+ART and 17 SM). There were no significant differences in local recurrence, metastasis, or death from disease in either analysis. Risk of local recurrence was low (8%, 7/89), with 3 of the local recurrences being effectively treated upon recurrence. LIMITATIONS: Single academic center and nonrandomized design. CONCLUSION: Adjuvant radiation did not improve outcomes compared with SM due to a low baseline risk of recurrence, although adjuvant radiation for named nerve invasion and LCNI of ≥3 nerves has been shown to improve outcomes in a prior study. Randomized studies are needed to define the subset of cSCC for whom adjuvant radiation has utility.

Outcomes in intermediate-risk squamous cell carcinomas treated with Mohs micrographic surgery compared with wide local excision.

BACKGROUND: Brigham and Women's Hospital stage T2a squamous cell carcinomas, demonstrating a single high-risk feature, have a low risk of metastasis and death but an increased risk of local recurrence. Little evidence exists for the best treatment modality and associated outcomes in T2a squamous cell carcinoma. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to compare outcomes for T2a squamous cell carcinoma treated by Mohs micrographic surgery compared with wide local excision with permanent sections. METHODS: Retrospective review of an institutional review board-approved single-institution registry of T2a squamous cell carcinoma. RESULTS: Three hundred sixty-six primary T2a tumors were identified, including 240 squamous cell carcinomas (65.6%) treated with Mohs micrographic surgery and 126 (34.4%) treated with wide local excision. A total of 32.5% of patients were immunosuppressed and mean oncologic follow-up was 2.8 years. Local recurrence was significantly more likely after wide local excision (4.0%) than after Mohs micrographic surgery (1.2%) (P = .03). Multiple logistic regression demonstrated immunocompromised state (odds ratio [OR] 5.1; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-23.3; P = .03) and wide local excision (OR 4.8; 95% CI 1.1-21.6; P = .04) associated with local recurrence; and wide local excision (OR 7.8; 95% CI 2.4-25.4; P < .001), high-risk head and neck location (OR 8.3; 95% CI 1.8-38.7; P = .004), and poor histologic differentiation (OR 4.7; 95% CI 1.4-15.4; P = .03) associated with poor outcomes (overall recurrence or disease-specific death). CONCLUSION: Mohs micrographic surgery provides improved outcomes in Brigham and Women's Hospital T2a squamous cell carcinoma.

Incidence and outcomes of cutaneous angiosarcoma: A SEER population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous angiosarcoma (CAS) is a rare, malignant tumor of vascular mesenchymal origin accounting for less than 1% of all sarcomas. OBJECTIVE: To examine epidemiologic trends and outcomes in CAS. METHODS: In this retrospective, population-based study, patients with CAS were identified from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database. Age, sex, and race-standardized incidence rates (IRs) were calculated. Survival was assessed with Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: Of 811 patients with CAS, 43% had a prior primary cancer. CAS IR for patients without prior primary cancers dropped from 5.88 per 100,000 in 1973 to 1984 to 2.87 per 100,000 in 2005 to 2014. In those with prior primary cancers, IR rose from 0.03 per 100,000 in 1973 to 1984 to 2.25 per 100,000 in 2005 to 2014. On multivariate analysis, patients older than 70 years of age had a higher risk of death compared with those younger than 50 years (hazard ratio, 2.16; 95% confidence interval 1.33-3.57; P = .002), and distant disease was associated with increased risk of death compared with localized disease (hazard ratio, 1.50; 95% confidence interval, 1.11-2.03; P = .008). Receipt of surgery and/or radiation therapy was not associated with survival. LIMITATIONS: Potential selection and miscoding bias, retrospective nature. CONCLUSION: CAS rates are rising among those with other prior primary cancers. Survival is not affected by current therapeutic strategies, highlighting the need for additional treatment options.

Recent and Emerging Therapies for Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinomas of the Head and Neck.

OPINION STATEMENT: Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) of the head and neck is typically managed with Mohs Micrographic Surgery (MMS) for cosmetic reasons. MMS also improves oncologic outcomes for high-risk tumors. Patients with certain high-risk subsets of the disease also benefit from adjuvant radiation therapy. The PD-1 inhibitor, cemiplimab, was recently approved for treatment of locally advanced and metastatic cSCC unamenable to curative surgery or radiation therapy after the drug demonstrated encouraging, durable response rates. Cemiplimab and other systemic immunotherapies are now being evaluated in clinical trials in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings as well. Localized immunotherapies are also being studied, including oncolytic viruses such as talimogene laherparepvec, a modified herpes simplex virus previously approved for the treatment of advanced cutaneous melanoma. Most importantly, multidisciplinary care is crucial in optimizing outcomes for patients with high-risk cSCC of the head and neck.

Increased pathologic upstaging with rising time to treatment initiation for head and neck cancer: A mechanism for increased mortality.

BACKGROUND: Time to treatment initiation (TTI) is increasing and is associated with worsening survival. In the current study, the authors sought to identify a mechanism for this relationship by assessing the effect of TTI on clinical-to-pathologic upstaging in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). METHODS: Using the National Cancer Data Base, the authors analyzed patients receiving definitive surgery for SCC of the oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, and hypopharynx from 2005 through 2014. The primary outcome was T, N, or stage group upstaging, defined as higher pathologic stage than clinical stage. TTI was defined as the time between diagnosis and surgery. Multivariable logistic and Cox proportional hazards regression modeled upstaging and survival, respectively. RESULTS: Cohorts of 60,194 patients, 51,380 patients, and 52,980 patients, respectively, with complete T, N, and stage group data were included. N upstaging was most common (18.6%), followed by stage group (17.4%) and T (12.1%) upstaging; all types were predicted by TTI. Compared with a TTI of 1 to 6 days, TTIs as short as 7 to 13 days (odds ratio, 1.20; P = .038) or ≥ 70 days (odds ratio, 2.04; P < .001) were found to predict T upstaging, a finding that is consistent for N and stage group upstaging. Using restricted cubic splines, relative odds of T and stage group upstaging escalated to 2.25 and 1.93, respectively, at a TTI of 365 days. In survival analyses, T (hazard ratio [HR], 1.53), N (HR, 1.88), and stage group (HR, 1.69) upstaging all predicted mortality (P < .001), whereas TTI only predicted mortality after 70 days (HR, 1.11; P = .023). CONCLUSIONS: Tumor progression, measured by clinical-to-pathologic upstaging, increases mortality for patients with HNSCC experiencing treatment delays. Cancer 2018;124:1400-14. © 2018 American Cancer Society.