Response to induction chemotherapy as a prognostic indicator in locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

PurposeInduction chemotherapy (IC) for patients with locally advanced stage Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas (HNSCC) before radio-chemotherapy (RCT) or surgery remains a potential treatment option. This study analyzed how the response to IC correlates with survival outcomes.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective single-center study at a tertiary cancer center. Tumors were categorized by anatomical site and response to IC (non-responders vs. responders). Data were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox regression analysis.ResultsA total of 48 patients received IC. Of these, 33 patients were radiologically evaluable for response. The majority of evaluable patients received either TPF (Docetaxel, Cisplatin, 5-Fluorouracil) (58%) or TP (Docetaxel, Cisplatin) (24%) as their IC regimen. Tumor reduction of 30% or more was observed in 23 patients (69.7%), the tumor control rate was 97%. The 2-year event-free survival (EFS) in the IC evaluable population was 53.1%, overall survival (OS) was 63.6%, and recurrence-free survival (RFS) was 62.5%. Patients with laryngeal or hypopharyngeal tumors that did not respond to IC had a significantly poorer prognosis. This effect was not statistically significant in tumors of the oral cavity or oropharynx, where it was only observed as a trend.ConclusionIC is highly effective in treating locally advanced stage HNSCC. The response to IC is prognostic for survival, particularly in cancers of the larynx and hypopharynx.