Standardised definitions and diagnostic criteria for extranodal extension detected on histopathological examination in head and neck cancer: Head and Neck Cancer International Group consensus recommendations.

Detection of extranodal extension on histopathology in surgically treated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma indicates poor prognosis. However, there is no consensus on the diagnostic criteria, interpretation, and reporting of histology detected extranodal extension, which has contributed to conflicting evidence in the literature, and likely clinical inconsistency. The Head and Neck Cancer International Group conducted a three-round modified Delphi process with a group of 19 international pathology experts representing 15 national clinical research groups to generate consensus recommendations for histology detected extranodal extension diagnostic criteria. The expert panel strongly agreed on terminology and diagnostic features for histology detected extranodal extension and soft tissue metastasis. Moreover, the panel reached consensus on reporting of histology detected extranodal extension and on nodal sampling. These consensus recommendations, endorsed by 19 organisations representing 34 countries, are a crucial development towards standardised diagnosis and reporting of histology detected extranodal extension, and more accurate data collection and analysis.

Criteria for the diagnosis of extranodal extension detected on radiological imaging in head and neck cancer: Head and Neck Cancer International Group consensus recommendations.

Extranodal extension of tumour on histopathology is known to be a negative prognostic factor in head and neck cancer. Compelling evidence suggests that extranodal extension detected on radiological imaging is also a negative prognostic factor. Furthermore, if imaging detected extranodal extension could be identified reliably before the start of treatment, it could be used to guide treatment selection, as patients might be better managed with non-surgical approaches to avoid the toxicity and cost of trimodality therapy (surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy together). There are many aspects of imaging detected extranodal extension that remain unresolved or are without consensus, such as the criteria to best diagnose them and the associated terminology. The Head and Neck Cancer International Group conducted a five-round modified Delphi process with a group of 18 international radiology experts, representing 14 national clinical research groups. We generated consensus recommendations on the terminology and diagnostic criteria for imaging detected extranodal extension to harmonise clinical practice and research. These recommendations have been endorsed by 19 national and international organisations, representing 34 countries. We propose a new classification system to aid diagnosis, which was supported by most of the participating experts over existing systems, and which will require validation in the future. Additionally, we have created an online educational resource for grading imaging detected extranodal extensions.

Development and validation of a novel TNM staging N-classification of oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: For oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), extent of extranodal extension (ENE) (minor, ≤2 mm; major, >2 mm) is differentially prognostic, whereas limitations exist with the 8th edition of American Joint Committee on Cancer/International Union Against Cancer TNM N-classification (TNM-8-N). METHODS: Resected OSCC patients at four centers were included and extent of ENE was recorded. Thresholds for optimal overall survival (OS) discrimination of lymph node (LN) features were established. After dividing into training and validation sets, two new N-classifications were created using 1) recursive partitioning analysis (RPA), and 2) adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and were ranked against TNM-8-N and two published proposals. RESULTS: A total of 1460 patients were included (pN0: 696; pN+: 764). Of the pN+ cases, 135 (18%) had bilateral/contralateral LNs; 126 (17%) and 244 (32%) had minor and major ENE, and two (0.3%) had LN(s) >6 cm without ENE (N3a). LN number (1 and >1 vs. 0: aHRs, 1.92 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.44-2.55] and 3.21 [95% CI, 2.44-4.22]), size (>3 vs. ≤3 cm: aHR, 1.88 [95% CI, 1.44-2.45]), and ENE extent (major vs. minor: aHR, 1.40 [95% CI, 1.05-1.87]) were associated with OS, whereas presence of contralateral LNs was not (aHR, 1.05 [95% CI, 0.81-1.36]). The aHR proposal provided optimal performance with these changes to TNM-8-N: 1) stratification of ENE extent, 2) elimination of N2c and 6-cm threshold, and 3) stratification of N2b by 3 cm threshold. CONCLUSION: A new N-classification improved staging performance compared to TNM-8-N, by stratifying by ENE extent, eliminating the old N2c category and the 6 cm threshold, and by stratifying multiple nodes by size.

Head and Neck cancers-major changes in the American Joint Committee on cancer eighth edition cancer staging manual.

Answer questions and earn CME/CNE The recently released eighth edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Staging Manual, Head and Neck Section, introduces significant modifications from the prior seventh edition. This article details several of the most significant modifications, and the rationale for the revisions, to alert the reader to evolution of the field. The most significant update creates a separate staging algorithm for high-risk human papillomavirus-associated cancer of the oropharynx, distinguishing it from oropharyngeal cancer with other causes. Other modifications include: the reorganizing of skin cancer (other than melanoma and Merkel cell carcinoma) from a general chapter for the entire body to a head and neck-specific cutaneous malignancies chapter; division of cancer of the pharynx into 3 separate chapters; changes to the tumor (T) categories for oral cavity, skin, and nasopharynx; and the addition of extranodal cancer extension to lymph node category (N) in all but the viral-related cancers and mucosal melanoma. The Head and Neck Task Force worked with colleagues around the world to derive a staging system that reflects ongoing changes in head and neck oncology; it remains user friendly and consistent with the traditional tumor, lymph node, metastasis (TNM) staging paradigm. CA Cancer J Clin 2017;67:122-137. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Prognostic implications of p16 and HPV discordance in oropharyngeal cancer (HNCIG-EPIC-OPC): a multicentre, multinational, individual patient data analysis.

BACKGROUND: p16INK4a (p16) immunohistochemistry is the most widely used biomarker assay for inferring HPV causation in oropharyngeal cancer in clinical and trial settings. However, discordance exists between p16 and HPV DNA or RNA status in some patients with oropharyngeal cancer. We aimed to clearly quantify the extent of discordance, and its prognostic implications. METHODS: In this multicentre, multinational individual patient data analysis, we did a literature search in PubMed and Cochrane database for systematic reviews and original studies published in English between Jan 1, 1970, and Sept 30, 2022. We included retrospective series and prospective cohorts of consecutively recruited patients previously analysed in individual studies with minimum cohort size of 100 patients with primary squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx. Patient inclusion criteria were diagnosis with a primary squamous cell carcinoma of oropharyngeal cancer; data on p16 immunohistochemistry and on HPV testing; information on age, sex, tobacco, and alcohol use; staging by TNM 7th edition; information on treatments received; and data on clinical outcomes and follow-up (date of last follow-up if alive, date of recurrence or metastasis, and date and cause of death). There were no limits on age or performance status. The primary outcomes were the proportion of patients of the overall cohort who showed the different p16 and HPV result combinations, as well as 5-year overall survival and 5-year disease-free survival. Patients with recurrent or metastatic disease or who were treated palliatively were excluded from overall survival and disease-free survival analyses. Multivariable analysis models were used to calculate adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) for different p16 and HPV testing methods for overall survival, adjusted for prespecified confounding factors. FINDINGS: Our search returned 13 eligible studies that provided individual data for 13 cohorts of patients with oropharyngeal cancer from the UK, Canada, Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Spain. 7895 patients with oropharyngeal cancer were assessed for eligibility. 241 were excluded before analysis, and 7654 were eligible for p16 and HPV analysis. 5714 (74·7%) of 7654 patients were male and 1940 (25·3%) were female. Ethnicity data were not reported. 3805 patients were p16-positive, 415 (10·9%) of whom were HPV-negative. This proportion differed significantly by geographical region and was highest in the areas with lowest HPV-attributable fractions (r=-0·744, p=0·0035). The proportion of patients with p16+/HPV- oropharyngeal cancer was highest in subsites outside the tonsil and base of tongue (29·7% vs 9·0%, p<0·0001). 5-year overall survival was 81·1% (95% CI 79·5-82·7) for p16+/HPV+, 40·4% (38·6-42·4) for p16-/HPV-, 53·2% (46·6-60·8) for p16-/HPV+, and 54·7% (49·2-60·9) for p16+/HPV-. 5-year disease-free survival was 84·3% (95% CI 82·9-85·7) for p16+/HPV+, 60·8% (58·8-62·9) for p16-/HPV-; 71·1% (64·7-78·2) for p16-/HPV+, and 67·9% (62·5-73·7) for p16+/HPV-. Results were similar across all European sub-regions, but there were insufficient numbers of discordant patients from North America to draw conclusions in this cohort. INTERPRETATION: Patients with discordant oropharyngeal cancer (p16-/HPV+ or p16+/HPV-) had a significantly worse prognosis than patients with p16+/HPV+ oropharyngeal cancer, and a significantly better prognosis than patients with p16-/HPV- oropharyngeal cancer. Along with routine p16 immunohistochemistry, HPV testing should be mandated for clinical trials for all patients (or at least following a positive p16 test), and is recommended where HPV status might influence patient care, especially in areas with low HPV-attributable fractions. FUNDING: European Regional Development Fund, Generalitat de Catalunya, National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) UK, Cancer Research UK, Medical Research Council UK, and The Swedish Cancer Foundation and the Stockholm Cancer Society.

Treatment outcomes and survival following definitive (chemo)radiotherapy in HPV-positive oropharynx cancer: Large-scale comparison of DAHANCA vs PMH cohorts.

We compare outcomes in two large-scale contemporaneously treated HPV-positive (HPV+) oropharynx cancer (OPC) cohorts treated with definitive radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy (RT/CRT). p16-confirmed HPV+ OPC treated between 2007 and 2015 at PMH and DAHANCA were identified. Locoregional failure (LRF), distant metastasis (DM), and overall survival (OS) were compared. Multivariable analysis (MVA) calculated adjusted-hazard-ratio (aHR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI), adjusting for cohort, age, gender, performance status, smoking pack-years, T-category and N-category and chemotherapy. Compared to PMH (n = 701), DAHANCA (n = 1174) contained lower TNM-8T-categories (T1-T2: 77% vs 56%), N-categories (N0-N1: 77% vs 67%) and stages (stage I: 63% vs 44% (all P < .001). PMH used standard-fractionation CRT in 69% (481) while 31% (220) received hypofractionated or moderately accelerated RT-alone. All DAHANCA patients were treated with moderately accelerated RT; 96% (1129) received nimorazole (NIM) and 73% (856) concurrent weekly cisplatin. DAHANCA had shorter overall-treatment-time (P < .001), lower gross tumor (66-68 vs 70 Gy) and elective neck (50 vs 56 Gy) doses. Median follow-up was 4.8 years. DAHANCA had higher 5-year LRF (13% vs 7%, aHR = 0.47 [0.34-0.67]), comparable DM (7% vs 12%, aHR = 1.32 [0.95-1.82]), but better OS (85% vs 80%, aHR = 1.30 [1.01-1.68]). CRT patients had a lower risk of LRF (aHR 0.56 [0.39-0.82]), DM (aHR 0.70 [0.50-1.00]) and death (aHR 0.39 [0.29-0.52]) vs RT-alone. We observed exemplary outcomes for two large-scale trans-Atlantic HPV+ OPC cohorts treated in a similar manner. Concurrent chemotherapy was a strong, independent prognostic factor for all endpoints. Our findings underscore the need for a very careful approach to de-intensification of treatment for this disease.

Clinical presentation and outcome of human papillomavirus-positive nasopharyngeal carcinoma in a North American cohort.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to describe the clinical presentation and outcomes of human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) versus Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive NPC and HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer (OPC). METHODS: Clinical characteristics and presenting signs/symptoms were compared between patients who had viral-related NPC versus viral-related OPC treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy from 2005 to 2020 and who were matched 1:1 (by tumor and lymph node categories, smoking, age, sex, histology, and year of diagnosis). Locoregional control (LRC), distant control (DC), and overall survival (OS) were compared using the 2005-2018 cohort to maintain 2 years of minimum follow-up. Multivariable analysis was used to evaluate the cohort effect. RESULTS: Similar to HPV-positive OPC (n = 1531), HPV-positive NPC (n = 29) occurred mostly in White patients compared with EBV-positive NPC (n = 422; 86% vs. 15%; p < .001). Primary tumor volumes were larger in HPV-positive NPC versus EBV-positive NPC (median volume, 51 vs. 23 cm3 ; p = .002), with marginally more Level IB nodal involvement. More patients with HPV-positive NPC complained of local pain (38% vs. 3%; p = .002). The median follow-up for the 2005-2018 cohort was 5.3 years. Patients who had HPV-positive NPC (n = 20) had rates of 3-year LRC (95% vs. 90%; p = .360), DC (75% vs. 87%; p = .188), and OS (84% vs. 89%; p = .311) similar to the rates in those who had EBV-positive NPC (n = 374). Patients who had HPV-positive NPC also had rates of LRC (95% vs. 94%; p = .709) and OS (84% vs. 87%; p = .440) similar to the rates in those who had HPV-positive OPC (n = 1287). The DC rate was lower in patients who had HPV-positive disease (75% vs. 90%; p = .046), but the difference became nonsignificant (p = .220) when the analysis was adjusted for tumor and lymph node categories, smoking, and chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: HPV-positive NPC and EBV-positive NPC seem to be mutually exclusive diseases. Patients who have HPV-positive NPC have greater local symptom burden and larger primary tumors but have similar outcomes compared with patients who have EBV-positive NPC or HPV-positive OPC.

Unfinished Business in Classifying HPV-Positive Oropharyngeal Carcinoma: Identifying the Bad Apples in a Good Staging Barrel.

This commentary highlights three important findings in the study by Vijayvargiya et al, published in this journal, involving 9554 oropharyngeal cancer patients from the SEER database. Firstly, there is improved performance in outcome prediction with TNM-8 in HPV+ OPC. However, heterogeneity exists, especially in TNM-8 stage I disease, and there is need for ongoing improvement in risk stratification. Several anatomical and non-anatomical prognostic factors have been proposed. Among them, radiologic extranodal extension has emerged as one of the promising parameters to be considered for future staging. These baseline prognostic factors should address sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy to serve different clinical needs. Secondly, cure is possible for some patients presenting with M1 disease. Optimal management of such patients remains to be explored, and clinical trials targeting de novo M1 disease should be encouraged to optimize outcomes for this subset. Finally, methodologies to address missing tumor HPV status in historical cohorts have been discussed, including using baseline demographics and clinical characteristics, as well as statistical procedures such as multiple imputation.

Bias and inconsistency in the estimation of tumour mutation burden.

BACKGROUND: Tumour mutation burden (TMB), defined as the number of somatic mutations per megabase within the sequenced region in the tumour sample, has been used as a biomarker for predicting response to immune therapy. Several studies have been conducted to assess the utility of TMB for various cancer types; however, methods to measure TMB have not been adequately evaluated. In this study, we identified two sources of bias in current methods to calculate TMB. METHODS: We used simulated data to quantify the two sources of bias and their effect on TMB calculation, we down-sampled sequencing reads from exome sequencing datasets from TCGA to evaluate the consistency in TMB estimation across different sequencing depths. We analyzed data from ten cancer cohorts to investigate the relationship between inferred TMB and sequencing depth. RESULTS: We found that TMB, estimated by counting the number of somatic mutations above a threshold frequency (typically 0.05), is not robust to sequencing depth. Furthermore, we show that, because only mutations with an observed frequency greater than the threshold are considered, the observed mutant allele frequency provides a biased estimate of the true frequency. This can result in substantial over-estimation of the TMB, when the cancer sample includes a large number of somatic mutations at low frequencies, and exacerbates the lack of robustness of TMB to variation in sequencing depth and tumour purity. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that care needs to be taken in the estimation of TMB to ensure that results are unbiased and consistent across studies and we suggest that accurate and robust estimation of TMB could be achieved using statistical models that estimate the full mutant allele frequency spectrum.

Chemotherapy and radiotherapy in locally advanced head and neck cancer: an individual patient data network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Randomised, controlled trials and meta-analyses have shown the survival benefit of concomitant chemoradiotherapy or hyperfractionated radiotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced head and neck cancer. However, the relative efficacy of these treatments is unknown. We aimed to determine whether one treatment was superior to the other. METHODS: We did a frequentist network meta-analysis based on individual patient data of meta-analyses evaluating the role of chemotherapy (Meta-Analysis of Chemotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer [MACH-NC]) and of altered fractionation radiotherapy (Meta-Analysis of Radiotherapy in Carcinomas of Head and Neck [MARCH]). Randomised, controlled trials that enrolled patients with non-metastatic head and neck squamous cell cancer between Jan 1, 1980, and Dec 31, 2016, were included. We used a two-step random-effects approach, and the log-rank test, stratified by trial to compare treatments, with locoregional therapy as the reference. Overall survival was the primary endpoint. The global Cochran Q statistic was used to assess homogeneity and consistency and P score to rank treatments (higher scores indicate more effective therapies). FINDINGS: 115 randomised, controlled trials, which enrolled patients between Jan 1, 1980, and April 30, 2012, yielded 154 comparisons (28 978 patients with 19 253 deaths and 20 579 progression events). Treatments were grouped into 16 modalities, for which 35 types of direct comparisons were available. Median follow-up based on all trials was 6·6 years (IQR 5·0-9·4). Hyperfractionated radiotherapy with concomitant chemotherapy (HFCRT) was ranked as the best treatment for overall survival (P score 97%; hazard ratio 0·63 [95% CI 0·51-0·77] compared with locoregional therapy). The hazard ratio of HFCRT compared with locoregional therapy with concomitant chemoradiotherapy with platinum-based chemotherapy (CLRTP) was 0·82 (95% CI 0·66-1·01) for overall survival. The superiority of HFCRT was robust to sensitivity analyses. Three other modalities of treatment had a better P score, but not a significantly better HR, for overall survival than CLRTP (P score 78%): induction chemotherapy with taxane, cisplatin, and fluorouracil followed by locoregional therapy (ICTaxPF-LRT; 89%), accelerated radiotherapy with concomitant chemotherapy (82%), and ICTaxPF followed by CLRT (80%). INTERPRETATION: The results of this network meta-analysis suggest that further intensifying chemoradiotherapy, using HFCRT or ICTaxPF-CLRT, could improve outcomes over chemoradiotherapy for the treatment of locally advanced head and neck cancer. FUNDINGS: French Institut National du Cancer, French Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, and Fondation ARC.

A cost-utility analysis comparing CT surveillance, PET-CT surveillance, and planned postradiation neck dissection for advanced nodal HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer.

BACKGROUND: The cost utility of image-guided surveillance using computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET)-CT to planned postradiation neck dissection (PRND) was compared for the management of advanced nodal human papillomavirus-positive oropharyngeal cancer following chemoradiation. METHODS: A universal payer perspective was adopted. A Markov model was designed to simulate four treatment approaches with 3-month cycles over a lifetime horizon: 1) CT surveillance, 2) standard PET-CT surveillance, 3) a novel PET-CT approach with repeat PET at 6 months postchemoradiation for equivocal responders, and 4) PRND. Parameters including probabilities of CT nodal progression/resolution, PET avidity, recurrence, and survival were obtained from the literature. Costs were reported in 2019 Canadian dollars and utilities were expressed in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to evaluate model uncertainty. RESULTS: PET-CT surveillance dominated CT surveillance and PRND in the base case scenario, and the novel PET-CT approach was the most cost-effective strategy across a wide range of variables tested in one-way sensitivity analysis. On probabilistic sensitivity analysis, novel PET-CT surveillance was the most cost-effective strategy in 78.1% of model iterations at a willingness-to-pay of $50,000/QALYs. Novel PET-CT surveillance resulted in a 49% lower rate of neck dissection compared with traditional PET-CT, and yielded an incremental benefit of 0.14 QALYs with average cost savings of $1309. CONCLUSIONS: Image-guided surveillance including PET-CT and CT are more cost effective than PRND. The novel PET-CT approach with repeat PET for equivocal responders was the dominant strategy and yielded both higher benefit and lower costs compared with standard PET-CT surveillance.

Comparison of different guidelines for oral cancer.

BACKGROUND: Guidelines should provide accessible and reliable information for decision-making. Also, they should be translatable to multiple settings, allowing their use in diverse situations. METHODS: We searched in GOOGLE, PUBMED, SCIELO, and SCOPUS for guidelines on oral squamous cell carcinoma. They were evaluated using the AGREE II protocol. RESULTS: We identified 16 guidelines that fulfilled inclusion criteria. The mean score and range for each AGREE II domain were: "scope and purpose" 74.1% (6-100.0%); "stakeholder" 78.6% (0-100.0%); "rigor of development" 71.4% (0-100.0%); "clarity of presentation" 71.4% (6-100.0%); "applicability" 50.0% (0-85.7%); "editorial independence" 57.1% (14.3-85.7%) and "overall assessment" 57.1% (14.3-100.0%). CONCLUSION: Guidelines for oral cancer present variable quality. Among those available, only four surpassed the 70% AGREE II score threshold.

Hypofractionated radiotherapy alone with 2.4 Gy per fraction for head and neck cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic: The Princess Margaret experience and proposal.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to identify a subgroup of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) who might be suitable for hypofractionated radiotherapy (RT-hypo) during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: HNSCC cases (oropharynx/larynx/hypopharynx) treated with definitive RT-hypo (60 Gy in 25 fractions over 5 weeks), moderately accelerated radiotherapy (RT-acc) alone (70 Gy in 35 fractions over 6 weeks), or concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) during 2005-2017 were included. Locoregional control (LRC) and distant control (DC) after RT-hypo, RT-acc, and CCRT were compared for various subgroups. RESULTS: The study identified 994 human papillomavirus-positive (HPV+) oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma cases (with 61, 254, and 679 receiving RT-hypo, RT-acc, and CCRT, respectively) and 1045 HPV- HNSCC cases (with 263, 451, and 331 receiving RT-hypo, RT-acc, and CCRT, respectively). The CCRT cohort had higher T/N categories, whereas the radiotherapy-alone patients were older. The median follow-up was 4.6 years. RT-hypo, RT-acc, and CCRT produced comparable 3-year LRC and DC for HPV+ T1-2N0-N2a disease (seventh edition of the TNM system [TNM-7]; LRC, 94%, 100%, and 94%; P = .769; DC, 94%, 100%, and 94%; P = .272), T1-T2N2b disease (LRC, 90%, 94%, and 97%; P = .445; DC, 100%, 96%, and 95%; P = .697), and T1-2N2c/T3N0-N2c disease (LRC, 89%, 93%, and 95%; P = .494; DC, 89%, 90%, and 87%; P = .838). Although LRC was also similar for T4/N3 disease (78%, 84%, and 88%; P = .677), DC was significantly lower with RT-hypo or RT-acc versus CCRT (67%, 65%, and 87%; P = .005). For HPV- HNSCC, 3-year LRC and DC were similar with RT-hypo, RT-acc, and CCRT in stages I and II (LRC, 85%, 89%, and 100%; P = .320; DC, 99%, 98%, and 100%; P = .446); however, RT-hypo and RT-acc had significantly lower LRC in stage III (76%, 69%, and 91%; P = .006), whereas DC rates were similar (92%, 85%, and 90%; P = .410). Lower LRC in stage III predominated in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma receiving RT-acc (62%) but not RT-hypo (80%) or CCRT (92%; RT-hypo vs CCRT: P = .270; RT-acc vs CCRT: P = .004). CCRT had numerically higher LRC in comparison with RT-hypo or RT-acc in stage IV (73%, 65%, and 66%; P = .336). CONCLUSIONS: It is proposed that RT-hypo be considered in place of CCRT for HPV+ T1-T3N0-N2c (TNM-7) HNSCCs, HPV- T1-T2N0 HNSCCs, and select stage III HNSCCs during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Predictive classifier for intensive treatment of head and neck cancer.

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to test the hypothesis that the effectiveness of intensive treatment for locoregionally advanced head and neck cancer (LAHNC) depends on the proportion of patients' overall event risk attributable to cancer. METHODS: This study analyzed 22,339 patients with LAHNC treated in 81 randomized trials testing altered fractionation (AFX; Meta-Analysis of Radiotherapy in Squamous Cell Carcinomas of Head and Neck [MARCH] data set) or chemotherapy (Meta-Analysis of Chemotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer [MACH-NC] data set). Generalized competing event regression was applied to the control arms in MARCH, and patients were stratified by tertile according to the ω score, which quantified the relative hazard for cancer versus competing events. The classifier was externally validated on the MACH-NC data set. The study tested for interactions between the ω score and treatment effects on overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Factors associated with a higher ω score were a younger age, a better performance status, an oral cavity site, higher T and N categories, and a p16-negative/unknown status. The effect of AFX on OS was greater in patients with high ω scores (hazard ratio [HR], 0.92; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.85-0.99) and medium ω scores (HR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.84-0.98) versus low ω scores (HR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.90-1.05; P for interaction = .086). The effect of chemotherapy on OS was significantly greater in patients with high ω scores (HR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.75-0.88) and medium ω scores (HR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.78-0.93) versus low ω scores (HR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.86-1.08; P for interaction = .011). CONCLUSIONS: LAHNC patients with a higher risk of cancer progression relative to competing mortality, as reflected by a higher ω score, selectively benefit from more intensive treatment.

Essential TNM: a registry tool to reduce gaps in cancer staging information.

Accurate information on the extent of disease around the time of diagnosis is an important component of cancer care, in defining disease prognosis, and evaluating national and international cancer control policies. However, the collection of stage data by population-based cancer registries remains a challenge in both high-income and low and middle-income countries. We emphasise the lack of availability and comparability of staging information in many population-based cancer registries and propose Essential TNM, a simplified staging system for cancer registries when information on full Tumour, Node, Metastasis (TNM) is absent. Essential TNM aims at staging cancer in its most advanced disease form by summarising the extent of disease in the order of distant metastasis (M), regional lymph node involvement (N), and tumour size or extension, or both (T). Flowcharts and rules have been developed for coding these elements in breast, cervix, prostate, and colon cancers, and combining them into stage groups (I-IV) that correspond to those obtained by full TNM staging. Essential TNM is comparable to the Union for International Cancer Control TNM stage groups and is an alternative to providing staging information by the population-based cancer registries that complies with the objectives of the Global Initiative for Cancer Registry Development.

The addition of pretreatment plasma Epstein-Barr virus DNA into the eighth edition of nasopharyngeal cancer TNM stage classification.

The eighth edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC)/Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) stage classification (TNM) for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) was launched. It remains unknown if incorporation of nonanatomic factors into the stage classification would better predict survival. We prospectively recruited 518 patients with nonmetastatic NPC treated with radical intensity-modulated radiation therapy ± chemotherapy based on the eighth edition TNM. Recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) incorporating pretreatment plasma Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA derived new stage groups. Multivariable analyses to calculate adjusted hazard ratios (AHRs) derived another set of stage groups. Five-year progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were: Stage I (PFS 100%, OS 90%, CSS 100%), II (PFS 88%, OS 84%, CSS 95%), III (PFS 84%, OS 84%, CSS 90%) and IVA (PFS 71%, OS 75%, CSS 80%) (p < 0.001, p = 0.066 and p = 0.002, respectively). RPA derived four new stages: RPA-I (T1-T4 N0-N2 & EBV DNA <500 copies per mL; PFS 94%, OS 89%, CSS 96%), RPA-II (T1-T4 N0-N2 & EBV DNA ≥500 copies per mL; PFS 80%, OS 83%, CSS 89%), RPA-III (T1-T2 N3; PFS 64%, OS 83%, CSS 83%) and RPA-IVA (T3-T4 N3; PFS 63%, OS 60% and CSS 68%) (all with p < 0.001). AHR using covariate adjustment also yielded a valid classification (I: T1-T2 N0-N2; II: T3-T4 N0-N2 or T1-T2 N3 and III: T3-T4 N3) (all with p < 0.001). However, RPA stages better predicted survival for PS and CSS after bootstrapping replications. Our RPA-based stage groups revealed better survival prediction compared to the eighth edition TNM and the AHR stage groups.

Proteomic Analysis of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Reveals a Paracrine Role for MFAP5 in Human Oral Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Bidirectional communication between cells and their microenvironment is crucial for both normal tissue homeostasis and tumor growth. During the development of oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC), cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) create a supporting niche by maintaining a bidirectional crosstalk with cancer cells, mediated by classically secreted factors and various nanometer-sized vesicles, termed as extracellular vesicles (EVs). To better understand the role of CAFs within the tumor stroma and elucidate the mechanism by which secreted proteins contribute to OTSCC progression, we isolated and characterized patient-derived CAFs from resected tumors with matched adjacent tissue fibroblasts (AFs). Our strategy employed shotgun proteomics to comprehensively characterize the proteomes of these matched fibroblast populations. Our goals were to identify CAF-secreted factors (EVs and soluble) that can functionally modulate OTSCC cells in vitro and to identify novel CAF-associated biomarkers. Comprehensive proteomic analysis identified 4247 proteins, the most detailed description of a pro-tumorigenic stroma to date. We demonstrated functional effects of CAF secretomes (EVs and conditioned media) on OTSCC cell growth and migration. Comparative proteomics identified novel proteins associated with a CAF-like state. Specifically, MFAP5, a protein component of extracellular microfibrils, was enriched in CAF secretomes. Using in vitro assays, we demonstrated that MFAP5 activated OTSCC cell growth and migration via activation of MAPK and AKT pathways. Using a tissue microarray of richly annotated primary human OTSCCs, we demonstrated an association of MFAP5 expression with patient survival. In summary, our proteomics data of patient-derived stromal fibroblasts provide a useful resource for future mechanistic and biomarker studies.

Enzymatic synthesis of chiral amino-alcohols by coupling transketolase and transaminase-catalyzed reactions in a cascading continuous-flow microreactor system.

Rapid biocatalytic process development and intensification continues to be challenging with currently available methods. Chiral amino-alcohols are of particular interest as they represent key industrial synthons for the production of complex molecules and optically pure pharmaceuticals. (2S,3R)-2-amino-1,3,4-butanetriol (ABT), a building block for the synthesis of protease inhibitors and detoxifying agents, can be synthesized from simple, non-chiral starting materials, by coupling a transketolase- and a transaminase-catalyzed reaction. However, until today, full conversion has not been shown and, typically, long reaction times are reported, making process modifications and improvement challenging. In this contribution, we present a novel microreactor-based approach based on free enzymes, and we report for the first time full conversion of ABT in a coupled enzyme cascade for both batch and continuous-flow systems. Using the compartmentalization of the reactions afforded by the microreactor cascade, we overcame inhibitory effects, increased the activity per unit volume, and optimized individual reaction conditions. The transketolase-catalyzed reaction was completed in under 10 min with a volumetric activity of 3.25 U ml-1 . Following optimization of the transaminase-catalyzed reaction, a volumetric activity of 10.8 U ml-1 was attained which led to full conversion of the coupled reaction in 2 hr. The presented approach illustrates how continuous-flow microreactors can be applied for the design and optimization of biocatalytic processes.

Role of radiotherapy fractionation in head and neck cancers (MARCH): an updated meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The Meta-Analysis of Radiotherapy in squamous cell Carcinomas of Head and neck (MARCH) showed that altered fractionation radiotherapy is associated with improved overall and progression-free survival compared with conventional radiotherapy, with hyperfractionated radiotherapy showing the greatest benefit. This update aims to confirm and explain the superiority of hyperfractionated radiotherapy over other altered fractionation radiotherapy regimens and to assess the benefit of altered fractionation within the context of concomitant chemotherapy with the inclusion of new trials. METHODS: For this updated meta-analysis, we searched bibliography databases, trials registries, and meeting proceedings for published or unpublished randomised trials done between Jan 1, 2009, and July 15, 2015, comparing primary or postoperative conventional fractionation radiotherapy versus altered fractionation radiotherapy (comparison 1) or conventional fractionation radiotherapy plus concomitant chemotherapy versus altered fractionation radiotherapy alone (comparison 2). Eligible trials had to start randomisation on or after Jan 1, 1970, and completed accrual before Dec 31, 2010; had to have been randomised in a way that precluded prior knowledge of treatment assignment; and had to include patients with non-metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, or larynx undergoing first-line curative treatment. Trials including a non-conventional radiotherapy control group, investigating hypofractionated radiotherapy, or including mostly nasopharyngeal carcinomas were excluded. Trials were grouped in three types of altered fractionation: hyperfractionated, moderately accelerated, and very accelerated. Individual patient data were collected and combined with a fixed-effects model based on the intention-to-treat principle. The primary endpoint was overall survival. FINDINGS: Comparison 1 (conventional fractionation radiotherapy vs altered fractionation radiotherapy) included 33 trials and 11 423 patients. Altered fractionation radiotherapy was associated with a significant benefit on overall survival (hazard ratio [HR] 0·94, 95% CI 0·90-0·98; p=0·0033), with an absolute difference at 5 years of 3·1% (95% CI 1·3-4·9) and at 10 years of 1·2% (-0·8 to 3·2). We found a significant interaction (p=0·051) between type of fractionation and treatment effect, the overall survival benefit being restricted to the hyperfractionated group (HR 0·83, 0·74-0·92), with absolute differences at 5 years of 8·1% (3·4 to 12·8) and at 10 years of 3·9% (-0·6 to 8·4). Comparison 2 (conventional fractionation radiotherapy plus concomitant chemotherapy versus altered fractionation radiotherapy alone) included five trials and 986 patients. Overall survival was significantly worse with altered fractionation radiotherapy compared with concomitant chemoradiotherapy (HR 1·22, 1·05-1·42; p=0·0098), with absolute differences at 5 years of -5·8% (-11·9 to 0·3) and at 10 years of -5·1% (-13·0 to 2·8). INTERPRETATION: This update confirms, with more patients and a longer follow-up than the first version of MARCH, that hyperfractionated radiotherapy is, along with concomitant chemoradiotherapy, a standard of care for the treatment of locally advanced head and neck squamous cell cancers. The comparison between hyperfractionated radiotherapy and concomitant chemoradiotherapy remains to be specifically tested. FUNDING: Institut National du Cancer; and Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer.

A multicenter, phase 3, randomized trial of concurrent chemoradiotherapy plus adjuvant chemotherapy versus radiotherapy alone in patients with regionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma: 10-year outcomes for efficacy and toxicity.

BACKGROUND: Concurrent-adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) became a recommended treatment for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) with the first report of a significant survival benefit from the Intergroup 0099 study. However, data on late toxicities are lacking. Previous reports from the current NPC-9901 trial have raised concerns about a failure to improve overall survival (OS) because of an inadequate impact on distant control and increases in toxicities/noncancer deaths. Validation of the long-term therapeutic ratio is needed. METHODS: In this phase 3, randomized trial, patients with nonkeratinizing NPC (stage T1-4/N2-3/M0) were randomly assigned to radiotherapy alone (176 patients) or to CRT (172 patients) with concurrent cisplatin followed by adjuvant cisplatin plus fluorouracil. RESULTS: The early findings of significant improvements in tumor control were maintained: the CRT group achieved significantly higher 10-year overall failure-free (62% vs 50%; P = .01) and progression-free survival rates (56% vs 42%; P = .006) because of superior locoregional control (87% vs 74%; P = .003), whereas the impact on distant control remained insignificant (68% vs 65%; P = .24). The initial differences in toxicities diminished with longer follow-up: 52% versus 47% at 10 years for late toxicities (P = .20), 4.1% versus 2.8% for deaths due to treatment toxicity, and 15.1% versus 13.1% for deaths due to incidental/unknown causes. The OS rate for the CRT group reached statistical superiority at 10 years (62% vs 49%; P = .047). CONCLUSIONS: Long-term results have confirmed that CRT can significantly improve OS without excessive late toxicities for patients with regionally advanced NPC. However, more potent therapy is needed for improving distant control, especially for patients with stage IVA/B disease. Cancer 2017;123:4147-4157. © 2017 American Cancer Society.