Circulating tumour cells in locally advanced head and neck cancer: preliminary report about their possible role in predicting response to non-surgical treatment and survival.
OBJECTIVE
The mechanism of dissemination of locally advanced head and neck cancer (LAHNC) is far to be resolved. Circulating tumour cells (CTC) have been identified as a prognostic factor in metastatic breast and prostate cancer. This prospective multi-centric analysis studied the possible role of CTC identification in LAHNC.


METHODS
CTC were searched in 73 patients with LAHNC (oropharynx, n=39; nasopharynx, n=10; larynx, n=10; paranasal sinuses, n=6, of whom 3 with sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma, SNUC; hypopharynx, n=5; oral cavity, n=3). All of them (apart from SNUC) had squamous cell cancers. The relationship between CTC positivity and other clinical prognostic factors has been investigated. Response to treatment and survival has been related with changes in CTC number during the treatment.


RESULTS
CTC were frequently identified in oro- and hypopharyngeal cancer and in SNUC. They were more frequent in stage IV than in stages I-III disease (18% versus 6%, p=NS (not significant)). Partial or complete response (CR) was related with the absence or disappearance of CTC during treatment (p=0.017). A decrease in the CTC number or their absence throughout the treatment seems also related with non-progressive disease, after both complete or incomplete remission and with the proportion of patients alive and NED (no evidence of disease) (p=0.009).


CONCLUSIONS
These preliminary data suggest a possible role of CTC determination in head and neck cancer. Additional and longer follow up data need to be collected to confirm these findings.
Radiation Oncology Department, Brescia University, Italy. buglione@med.unibs.it
Michela
M
Buglione
Salvatore
S
Grisanti
Camillo
C
Almici
Monica
M
Mangoni
Caterina
C
Polli
Francesca
F
Consoli
Rosanna
R
Verardi
Loredana
L
Costa
Fabiola
F
Paiar
Nadia
N
Pasinetti
Andrea
A
Bolzoni
Mirella
M
Marini
Edda
E
Simoncini
Piero
P
Nicolai
Gianpaolo
G
Biti
Stefano Maria
SM
Magrini
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068818:Cetuximab; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000473:pathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000068818:Cetuximab