Background/aim: There are limited data regarding survival, failure patterns, and factors associated with disease recurrence in patients with cutaneous squamous cell cancer of the head and neck (cSCC-HN) with nodal metastases.
Patients and methods: A retrospective analysis of patients with cSCC-HN metastatic to cervical and/or parotid lymph nodes treated with surgery and post-operative radiation therapy was performed.
Results: This study included 76 patients (57 immunocompetent and 18 immunosuppressed) with a median follow-up of 18 months. Overall survival, disease-free survival (DFS), and disease recurrence (DR) at 2 years was 60%, 49%, and 40%, respectively. Immunosuppressed patients had significantly lower 2-year DFS (28% vs. 55%; p=0.003) and higher DR (61% vs. 34%; p=0.04) compared to immunocompetent patients. Analysis of immunocompetent patients demonstrated extracapsular extension (ECE) as the only factor associated with DR (p<0.0001).
Conclusion: Patients with nodal metastases from cSCC-HN have suboptimal outcomes. ECE and immunosuppression were significantly associated with DR.
Keywords: Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma; extracapsular extension; extranodal extension; head and neck; immunosuppression; nodal metastases; skin cancer.
Copyright© 2018, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.