Ploidy as a Prognostic Indicator in Head and Neck Cancer
Author Information
Author(s): L.D. Cooke, T.G. Cooke, F. Bootz, G. Forster, T.R. Helliwell, D. Spiller, P.M. Stell
Primary Institution: University of Liverpool
Hypothesis
Does DNA ploidy predict survival and response to chemotherapy in end stage squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck?
Conclusion
Aneuploid tumours showed significantly longer survival with chemotherapy compared to diploid tumours, suggesting that ploidy may be an important factor in treatment response.
Supporting Evidence
- The median survival of untreated patients with aneuploid tumours was 55 days compared to 224 days for those treated with cisplatinum.
- Patients with diploid tumours had a median survival of 74 days untreated and 118 days when treated.
- Multivariate analysis identified Karnofsky status and response to chemotherapy as significant predictors of survival.
Takeaway
This study found that patients with a certain type of cancer (aneuploid tumours) lived much longer when treated with chemotherapy than those with another type (diploid tumours).
Methodology
Patients were selected from two phase III trials and their tumour DNA content was analyzed using flow cytometry.
Limitations
The study only included patients with locally advanced or recurrent cancers and may not be generalizable to all cancer types.
Participant Demographics
Patients included both males and females with a mean age ranging from 60 to 68 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
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