A confirmatory prognostic study on oxygenation status and loco-regional control in advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated by radiation therapy.

Abstract

In a previous report of 35 patients we suggested that pretreatment tumour pO(2) measured by Eppendorf electrodes was predictive of loco-regional control after primary radiotherapy in advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. Radiother Oncol 41 (1996) 31. The aim of the present study was to test this hypothesis. Therefore, pretreatment tumour pO(2) was measured using the same assay in a new cohort of 35 patients that received an identical treatment being primary radiation along with a total dose of 66-68 Gy as 2 Gy per fraction over 5.5 or 6.5 weeks. Treatment outcome was evaluated as loco-regional control probability at 2 years using the same oxygenation parameter and applying the cut-off value from the first study. In agreement with the hypothesis generating study we found that the loco-regional tumour control probability was significantly higher (90%) among well oxygenated tumours as compared with the hypoxic subgroup (45%) (P=0. 04). This study confirmed that pretreatment tumour oxygenation status was prognostic of loco-regional tumour control after primary radiation alone in advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.