Background: This study was carried out to determine if markers of nutritional status predict for locoregional failure following intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN).
Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of 78 patients with SCCHN who received definitive CCRT. We compared patient factors, tumor characteristics, and nutritional status indicators between patients with and without locoregional failure.
Results: Fifteen of 78 patients (19%) experienced locoregional failure. Median follow-up for live patients was 38 months. On univariate analysis, pretreatment percentage of ideal body weight (%IBW) (p < .01), pretreatment hemoglobin (p = .04), and treatment duration (p < .01) were significant predictors of failure. On multivariate analysis, pretreatment %IBW (p = .04) and treatment time (p < .01) remained statistically significant.
Conclusions: Although treatment time is an accepted risk factor for failure, differences in outcome for patients with head and neck cancer undergoing definitive CCRT based on pretreatment %IBW should be examined further.
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