title: Pretreatment prognostic factors of survival in patients with locally advanced nonmetastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck treated with radiation therapy with or without concurrent chemotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Identification of pretreatment prognostic factors influencing overall survival (OS) in locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck is an important issue in head and neck oncology.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 289 patients were treated with standard fraction or hyperfractionated radiation therapy with or without concurrent low-dose daily chemotherapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gender (P = 0.43) and age (P = 0.26) did not influence OS whereas Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) (P < 0.0001), T stage (P < 0.0001), and N stage (P < 0.0001) did. Stage grouping was another factor that influenced OS (P < 0.001). Patients with larynx and nasopharynx fared better than those with other primaries (P = 0.0153). Finally, treatment significantly influenced OS. Multivariate analysis showed that KPS, T and N stage, and treatment were independent prognosticators of OS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  KPS, T and N stage, and treatment are independent prognosticators of OS in patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck treated with radiation therapy with or without concurrent low-dose daily chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, University Hospital, Kragujevac, Serbia. B.Jeremic@iaea.org
authors.forename: Branislav
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jeremić
authors.forename: Biljana
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Milicić
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D016190:Carboplatin; D002945:Cisplatin