Course and prognosis of basaloid squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: a case-control study of 62 patients.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the natural history and evaluate the prognosis of basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC) of the upper aero-digestive tract as compared to the usual squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).


METHODS
Sixty-two patients with BSCC and 62 patients with SCC were matched with regards to TNM classification, localisation and therapeutic modalities. Histological criteria, follow-up and 5-year survival were compared among the two groups.


RESULTS
Survival rates were significantly higher in patients with SCC as compared to patients with BSCC. The rate of distant metastasis was six times higher in cases of BSCC, which was the major cause of mortality.


CONCLUSIONS
This study reveals that BSCC has distinct histo-pathologic features and an aggressive clinical course, justifying its consideration as a separate entity with poor prognosis. The authors propose to systematically perform a chest CT-scan and FDG-PET to rule out early distant metastasis and to include adjuvant chemotherapy in treatment protocols.
Soriano
Edouard
E
Department of ENT-HNS, University Medical Center of Grenoble, 38043 Grenoble Cedex 09, France.
Faure
Claire
C
Lantuejoul
Sylvie
S
Reyt
Emile
E
Bolla
Michel
M
Brambilla
Elisabeth
E
Righini
Christian A
CA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality; D016019:Survival Analysis