Value of computed tomography as outcome predictor of supraglottic squamous cell carcinoma treated by definitive radiation therapy.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the value of several CT-derived tumor parameters as predictors of local outcome of supraglottic squamous cell carcinoma treated by definitive radiation therapy.


METHODS
The pretreatment CT studies of 103 patients with supraglottic squamous cell carcinoma were reviewed for tumoral involvement of specific laryngeal anatomic subsites and extralaryngeal tumor spread. After redigitizing the films, tumor volume was calculated with the summation-of-areas technique. Mean follow-up time was 3.4 years. Actuarial statistical analysis of local and locoregional outcome was done for each of the covariates; multivariate analysis was performed using Cox's proportional hazards model.


RESULTS
In the actuarial analysis CT-determined primary tumor volume was significantly correlated with local recurrence rate (p < 0.001). Degree of involvement of the paraglottic space at the level of the true vocal cord (p < 0.05) and subglottic extension (p < 0.001) were also significantly correlated with local recurrence rate. In the multivariate analysis, only degree of involvement of the preepiglottic space (p < 0.01) and subglottic extension (p < 0.01) were found to be independent predictors of local recurrence. Total tumor volume was the strongest independent predictor of locoregional failure (p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
CT-determined tumor parameters are strong predictors of local and locoregional outcome of supraglottic carcinoma treated by definitive irradiation.
Hermans
R
R
Department of Radiology, University Hospitals, Leuven, Belgium.
Van den Bogaert
W
W
Rijnders
A
A
Baert
A L
AL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D005931:Glottis; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D015996:Survival Rate; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed