ESMO 2021: Predictive Factors of Relapse in Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Posted: Wednesday, September 29, 2021
Adjuvant radiotherapy for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma may improve clinical outcomes for patients with multiple risk factors compared with surgery alone. In fact, adjuvant radiotherapy improved progression-free survival in those with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma who had at least three identified risk factors. Further, an increased number of risk factors was found to be predictive of relapse in this patient population. The results of this retrospective analysis were presented by Adeline Petre, MD, of Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France, and colleagues during the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2021 (Abstract 1067P).
“Despite [that] clinical and histopathological factors are associated with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, equivocal definition for high-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma patients is lacking, and their management remains challenging,” stated the study investigators.
Patients with resectable cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma who had received surgery and/or radiotherapy in curative intent at Centre Léon Bérard were included in the analysis (n = 303). Cox regression analyses were utilized to determine predictive risk factors for relapse. These risk factors were used to identify the benefit of adjuvant radiotherapy.
At the median follow-up of 54 months, 34% of patients had relapsed. The main predictive factors for relapse for patients who received surgery without radiotherapy were found to be low differentiation and perineural involvement (P < .001, P = .027, respectively). Further, a greater number of risk factors was associated with greater hazard ratios (HR) for predictive relapse (HR = 15.1 for ≥ 3 risk factors, HR = 4.49 for 1 risk factor, P < .001). Risk factors found to be unassociated with predictive relapse were deep invasion, location, and tumor size.
There appeared to be no differences in progression-free survival in patients who received both surgery and radiotherapy compared with surgery alone (P = .087). However, patients with three or more risk factors were found to have increased progression-free survival when treated with surgery and radiotherapy compared with surgery alone (P = .028).
Disclosure: The study authors reported no conflicts of interest.
