Prophylactic percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy in patients with head and neck cancer: Influence on nutritional status, utilisation rate and complications.

BACKGROUND: Patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) are at high risk for malnutrition because of tumour localisation and therapy. Prophylactic percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube placement is common practice to prevent malnutrition. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the benefits of prophylactic PEG tube placement for HNC patients in terms of the influence on patients' nutritional status, utilisation rate, complications and to identify the predictors of PEG tube utilisation. METHODS: All consecutive HNC patients who underwent prophylactic PEG tube insertion between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2012 prior to therapy were enrolled. The PEG tube utilisation rate, complications, the patients' nutritional status and tumour therapy were evaluated with the help of electronic patient charts and telephone interviews. RESULTS: A total of 181 patients (48 female, median 67.5 years) were included. The PEG utilisation rate in the entire cohort was 91.7%. One hundred and forty-nine patients (82.3%) used the PEG tube for total enteral nutrition, 17 patients (9.4%) for supplemental nutrition and 15 patients (8.3%) made no use of the PEG tube. Peristomal wound infections were the most common complications (40.3%) in this study. A high Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS) score prior to tube insertion was found to be independently associated with PEG utilisation. No significant weight changes were observed across the three patient subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: The overall PEG tube utilisation rate was high in this study. However, given the high rate of infections, diligent patient selection is crucial in order to determine which patients benefit most from prophylactic PEG tube insertion.

Patterns of care analysis for head & neck cancer of unknown primary site: a survey inside the German society of radiation oncology (DEGRO).

BACKGROUND: Due to the absence of randomized trials, the optimal management for squamous cell cancer of unknown primary in the head and neck region (SCCHN CUP) remains controversial. Current strategies are based on retrospective studies, clinical experience, and institutional policies. METHODS: An anonymous questionnaire with a total of 24 questions was created and distributed by the use of an online version (Google Forms®, Google, Mountain View, CA, USA) as well as a printout version as equivalent option. An email with a link to the survey and the questionnaire as attachment was sent to 361 DEGRO(German Society of Radiation Oncology)-associated departments. Frequency distributions of responses for each question were calculated. The data were also analyzed by type of practice. Representativity of the sample size for the DEGRO was also evaluated. RESULTS: 66 responses were received including answers from 20 (30%) university departments, 16 (24%) non-university institutions, and 30 (46%) radiation oncology practices. 95% of the participants routinely present these cases in an interdisciplinary tumor board and use intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) techniques for SCCHN CUP treatment. Surgery includes neck dissection in 83% and tonsillectomy in 73% of the cases. Human papilloma virus (HPV) status is routinely determined in 82% of the departments. Statistically significant differences between universities and institutions and clinics and practices could be found with respect to positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) utilization, indications for chemotherapy, radiotherapy volumes, and cumulative doses. CONCLUSION: Diagnostics and treatment for SCCHN CUP within the DEGRO remain heterogeneous. A prospective register trial with standard operation procedures is warranted to homogenize and possibly improve management.

Combined p16 and p53 expression in cervical cancer of unknown primary and other prognostic parameters : A single-center analysis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cervical cancer of unknown primary (CUP) represents an uncommon and heterogeneous subentity of head and neck cancer. However, both optimal diagnostics and therapy remain unclear. An improved understanding of the underlying pathology is essential to enable future tailored therapies and optimized outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 53 patients with head and neck CUP and 48 available cervical lymph node specimens. All patients have received radiotherapy between 2007 and 2015. Preradiotherapy involved lymph node specimens were analyzed for p16 and p53 immunoreactivity. The prognostic relevance of the combined p16 and p53 status and other clinical parameters were examined by univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Median patient age was 61.5 years and median irradiation dose to the involved nodal levels was 66 Gy. Of the 48 evaluated specimens, 13 (27%) were p16-positive and 31 (64.6%) p53-positive. After a median follow up of 32.9 months, patients with p16-negative and simultaneously p53-positive tumors showed a significantly inferior tumor-specific survival (TSS) compared to those with either p16+/p53-, p16+/p53+, or p16-/p53- (univariate: p = 0.055, multivariate: p = 0.038). Other factors with an adverse impact on TSS in the univariate analysis were smoking history (p = 0.032) and nodal stage (p = 0.038). CONCLUSIONS: The combined p16- and p53-expression status in cervical metastases of CUP may represent a simple method for risk stratification. Further validation of these biomarkers in large prospective trials is essential to design rational trials for CUP treatment optimization.

Chemoradiotherapy as Definitive Treatment for Elderly Patients with Head and Neck Cancer.

BACKGROUND: With the aging population and a rising incidence of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN), there is an emerging need for developing strategies to treat elderly patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 158 patients treated with definitive, concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for SCCHN. Clinicopathological characteristics, acute toxicities, and oncological outcomes were compared between patients younger and older than (or of age equal to) 65, 70, and 75 years. RESULTS: RT dose, chemotherapy regimen, and total chemotherapy dose were balanced between the groups. After a median follow-up of 29 months, overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), local control rate, and distant metastasis-free survival stratified by age of ≥65, ≥70, or ≥75 years revealed no differences. The rate of acute toxicities was also not higher for older patients. Worse ECOG performance score (ECOG 2-3) was associated with impaired OS (p = 0.004) and PFS (p = 0.048). CONCLUSION: Definitive treatment with CRT for SCCHN is feasible and effective; even in advanced age treatment decisions should be made according to general condition and comorbidity, rather than calendar age alone.

Repeated in-field radiosurgery for locally recurrent brain metastases: Feasibility, results and survival in a heavily treated patient cohort.

PURPOSE: Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is an established primary treatment for newly diagnosed brain metastases with high local control rates. However, data about local re-irradiation in case of local failure after SRS (re-SRS) are rare. We evaluated the feasibility, efficacy and patient selection characteristics in treating locally recurrent metastases with a second course of SRS. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated patients with brain metastases treated with re-SRS for local tumor progression between 2011 and 2017. Patient and treatment characteristics as well as rates of tumor control, survival and toxicity were analyzed. RESULTS: Overall, 32 locally recurrent brain metastases in 31 patients were irradiated with re-SRS. Median age at re-SRS was 64.9 years. The primary histology was breast cancer and non-small-cellular lung cancer (NSCLC) in respectively 10 cases (31.3%), in 5 cases malignant melanoma (15.6%). In the first SRS-course 19 metastases (59.4%) and in the re-SRS-course 29 metastases (90.6%) were treated with CyberKnife® and the others with Gamma Knife. Median planning target volume (PTV) for re-SRS was 2.5 cm3 (range, 0.1-37.5 cm3) and median dose prescribed to the PTV was 19 Gy (range, 12-28 Gy) in 1-5 fractions to the median 69% isodose (range, 53-80%). The 1-year overall survival rate was 61.7% and the 1-year local control rate was 79.5%. The overall rate of radiological radio-necrosis was 16.1% and four patients (12.9%) experienced grade ≥ 3 toxicities. CONCLUSIONS: A second course of SRS for locally recurrent brain metastases after prior local SRS appears to be feasible with acceptable toxicity and can be considered as salvage treatment option for selected patients with high performance status. Furthermore, this is the first study utilizing robotic radiosurgery for this indication, as an additional option for frameless fractionated treatment.

Diagnostic and treatment modalities for patients with cervical lymph node metastases of unknown primary site - current status and challenges.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the literature and elucidate open questions for future clinical trials concerning diagnostics and treatment modalities for cervical cancer of unknown primary (CUP). METHODS: A literature search for head and neck CUP was performed with focus on diagnostics and therapies as well as molecular markers. RESULTS: High level evidence on CUP is limited. However, it seems that a consensus exists regarding the optimal diagnostic procedures. The correct implementation of biomarkers for patient stratification and treatment remains unclear. An even greater dispute dominates about the ideal treatment with publications ranging from sole surgery to surgery with postoperative bilateral radiotherapy with inclusion of the mucosa and concomitant chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Cervical CUP represents a very heterogeneous malignant disease. On this account many aspects concerning treatment optimization remain unclear, despite a considerable number of publications in the past. Future research in form of prospective randomized trials is needed in order to better define patient stratification criteria and enable tailored treatment.