ERCC1 Expression and Head and Neck Cancer Treatment
Author Information
Author(s): Jun H J, Ahn M J, Kim H S, Yi S Y, Han J, Lee S K, Ahn Y C, Jeong H-S, Son Y-I, Baek J-H, Park K
Primary Institution: Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine
Hypothesis
Can ERCC1 expression predict survival in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck treated with cisplatin-based chemoradiation?
Conclusion
ERCC1 expression levels negatively contribute to clinical outcomes in patients treated with cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
Supporting Evidence
- 73% of tumors showed high expression of ERCC1.
- 3-year progression-free survival rate was 58.7%.
- Patients with low ERCC1 expression had a significantly higher 3-year progression-free survival rate of 83.3%.
Takeaway
This study found that patients with low levels of a protein called ERCC1 had better survival rates when treated for head and neck cancer.
Methodology
Patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma were treated with cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy, and ERCC1 expression was assessed through immunohistochemical staining.
Potential Biases
Potential biases due to the retrospective nature of the study and the heterogeneity of primary tumor sites.
Limitations
The study was retrospective and analyzed only 45 out of 60 patients, which may affect the generalizability of the results.
Participant Demographics
Median age was 56 years, with 82% men; included patients with stage III and IV disease.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.036
Confidence Interval
95% CI, 34.5–72.7 months
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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