Pre-treatment haemoglobin level predicts response and survival after TPF induction polychemotherapy in advanced head and neck cancer patients.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the prognostic value of the pre-treatment haemoglobin level in patients with advanced squamous cell head and neck cancer treated with induction polychemotherapy.

DESIGN:

Seventy-two patients with advanced squamous cell head and neck cancer received primary combination chemotherapy consisting of docetaxel 75 mg/m(2) on day 1, cisplatin 100 mg/m(2) on day 1, and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) 1000 mg/m(2)/day on days 1-4 (total dose 4000 mg/m(2)), repeated on days 1, 22 and 43 followed by chemoradiation. The data collected included pre-treatment haemoglobin, response to treatment, disease-free and overall survival.

RESULTS:

The pre-treatment haemoglobin level was found to be a significant predictor of response to induction chemotherapy (P = 0.01) and an independent predictor of overall survival [hazard ratio (HR) 0.77, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.58-1.03, P = 0.0001] and disease free survival (HR 2.09, 95% CI 1.41-3.09, P = 0.0001). Furthermore N-stage was found to be a significant prognostic factor of overall survival (HR 9.24, 95% CI 6.90-21.34, P = 0.005). The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status scale was also found to be significant for disease free survival (HR 7.66, 95% CI 2.61-22.46, P = 0.003).

CONCLUSION:

In patients with advanced squamous cell head and neck cancer, the haemoglobin level prior to induction chemotherapy is significantly related to outcome including response and survival.

• Authors: M Baghi, J Wagenblast, M Hambek, S Moertel, W Gstoettner, K Strebhardt, R Knecht
• Journal: Clinical otolaryngology : official journal of ENT-UK ; official journal of Netherlands Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology & Cervico-Facial Surgery (Clin Otolaryngol) Vol. 33 Issue 3 Pg. 245-51 (Jun 2008) ISSN: 1749-4486 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 18559031 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic
• Antineoplastic Agents
• Hemoglobins
• Taxoids
• Docetaxel
• Cisplatin
• Fluorouracil

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic (administration & dosage)
• Antineoplastic Agents (administration & dosage)
• Carcinoma, Squamous Cell (blood, drug therapy, mortality)
• Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
• Cisplatin (administration & dosage)
• Combined Modality Therapy
• Disease-Free Survival
• Docetaxel
• Drug Therapy, Combination
• Female
• Fluorouracil (administration & dosage)
• Follow-Up Studies
• Head and Neck Neoplasms (blood, drug therapy, mortality)
• Hemoglobins (analysis)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Prognosis
• Survival Rate
• Taxoids (administration & dosage)
• Treatment Outcome