High rates of regional failure in squamous cell carcinoma of the hard palate and maxillary alveolus.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of neck metastasis in hard palate and maxillary alveolus squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and to identify factors predictive of regional failure.


METHODS
In 139 patients treated for SCC of the hard palate and maxillary alveolus (from 1985-2006), the incidence rates of regional metastasis at presentation and at recurrence were calculated. Factors predictive of regional recurrence-free survival were identified on Cox multivariable regression analysis.


RESULTS
Regional failure occurred in 28.4% of patients and was significantly associated with pathologic T classification, ranging from 18.7% (pT1) to 37.3% (pT4). T classification was an independent predictor of regional recurrence-free survival (RRFS) on multivariable analysis. Most patients (65.6%) with regional recurrence were not able to be salvaged.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with T2 to T4 primary tumors of the hard palate and maxillary alveolus exhibited high rates of regional failure. In most cases, successful salvage was not achieved. Elective treatment of the neck with surgery or radiation is therefore recommended.
Head and Neck Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA.
Luc G T
LG
Morris
Snehal G
SG
Patel
Jatin P
JP
Shah
Ian
I
Ganly
D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D002423:Cause of Death; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008441:Maxillary Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010157:Palatal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D021362:Palate, Hard / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017678:Sex Distribution; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016019:Survival Analysis; D017211:Treatment Failure