title: Influence of pathologic complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy on long-term survival of patients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to analyze whether pathologic complete response (PCR) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) affected long-term survival in advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients with advanced HNSCC were previously untreated and underwent NAC followed by surgery. The 5-year overall survival, disease-free survival, local control rate, and reasons for treatment failure were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 101 cases were included, and the response rate to NAC was 67.3%, including 17 patients (16.8%) who achieved PCR. The 5-year overall survival (OS) of the PCR group (82.4%; histologically complete response group [HCG]) was higher than that of the pathologic incomplete responder group (45.4%; histologically incomplete response group [HICG]) (P = 0.045). No statistically significant difference was noted between the two groups in terms of local recurrence and nodal recurrence, but the local control rate in HCG (88.2%) was higher than that in HICG (62.7%) (P = 0.034).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Achieving PCR could improve locoregional control and long-term survival in patients with advanced HNSCC.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xin-rui
authors.initials: XR
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhi-min
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xue-kui
authors.initials: XK
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Feng-hua
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Quan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qiu-li
authors.initials: QL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhu-ming
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Zong-yuan
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Zeng
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents