Highlights
- •The American Joint Committee on Cancer staging for head and neck skin squamous cell carcinoma provide suboptimal prognostic information.
- •We compared six different models, using depth of invasion for risk stratification.
- •The proposed T classification should be considered in the future version of the staging.
Abstract
Background
The last revision of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Cancer Staging
Manual included a specific system for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) of
the head and neck. Here, we assessed the prognostic performance of six candidate modified
T-classification models in head and neck CSCC patients.
Methods
Analysis of 916 patients with head and neck CSCC given treatment with curative intent
at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center between 1995 and 2019 was performed.
The main outcome was disease-specific survival (DSS), and the impact of depth of invasion
(DOI) was analyzed using multivariable regression models. Candidate models were developed
using the optimal DOI cut points for each AJCC T classification based on goodness
of fit of the model and the simplicity of the model. Staging systems were compared
using Harrell's concordance index.
Results
Median age was 70 years (range, 19–97years) and median follow-up time of 22 months
(range, 1–250months). The median DOI was 6.0 mm (range, 0.1–70.0 mm). The five-year
DSS rate was 80.7% (95%CI, 77.4–83.7%). We found significant association between DOI
(hazard ratio, 1.21 [95%CI: 1.01–1.43]) and DSS on multivariable analysis. Based on
a low Akaike information criterion score, improvement in the concordance index, and
Kaplan–Meier curves, model 6 surpassed the AJCC staging system.
Conclusions
Incorporation of DOI in the current AJCC staging system improves discrimination of
T classifications in head and neck CSCC patients.
Lay summary
The current staging system for head and neck cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma demonstrates
wide prognostic variability and provides suboptimal risk stratification. Incorporation
of depth of invasion in the T-classification system improves risk prediction and patient
counseling.
Precis
We propose improved head and neck cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma T staging that
will include depth of invasion and should be considered in future versions of the
American Joint Committee on Cancer after external validation.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: December 19, 2020
Accepted:
November 16,
2020
Received in revised form:
November 5,
2020
Received:
June 14,
2020
Identification
Copyright
© 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
