Clinical and Radiological Outcomes After Curative-Intent Induction Chemotherapy for Primary Advanced Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma
9 affiliations
- 1Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial, Linkou 333423, Taiwan
- 2Maxillofacial Surgery Unit, Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy
- 3Department of Medical Education, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 333423, Taiwan
- 4Division of Hemato-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial, Linkou 333423, Taiwan
- 5School of Medicine, Medical College, Chang Gung University, Kwei-Shan, Taoyuan 333323, Taiwan
- 6Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial, Keelung Branch, Keelung 204201, Taiwan
- 7Department of Otolaryngology, Hsin-Chu MacKay Memorial Hospital, Hsin-Chu 300044, Taiwan
- 8Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 333423, Taiwan
- 9Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333002, Taiwan
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The role of induction chemotherapy (IC) in advanced oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) remains controversial. This study evaluated patient-level changes in primary-tumour and cervical nodal dimensions, subsequent definitive treatment, and survival after curative-intent IC. Methods: We retrospectively analysed 38 patients with primary, non-metastatic OCSCC treated with curative-intent IC between 2009 and 2024. Recurrent disease, second primary tumours, non-squamous histology, non-oral primary sites, baseline metastatic disease, direct chemoradiotherapy, and palliative systemic treatment were excluded. A prespecified simplified unidimensional radiological analysis was performed. The maximum axial primary-tumour diameter, the largest baseline cervical node, and total recorded nodal burden were compared before and after IC. Baseline nodes absent after IC were coded as 0 mm only when disappearance was confirmed on post-IC anatomical imaging. The overall survival (OS) was measured from IC initiation. Results: Primary-tumour measurements were evaluable in 25 patients. Median diameter decreased from 55.0 to 46.0 mm, corresponding to a median change of −13.5% (p = 0.049). The largest baseline node was evaluable in 19 patients and decreased from 17.0 to 13.0 mm, a median change of −16.7% (p = 0.004). Total nodal burden changed by a median of −8.3% (p = 0.257). Primary-tumour change did not differ significantly from largest-node change (p = 0.073) or total nodal-burden change (p = 0.860). TP and TPF showed no difference in primary-tumour change (p = 0.954). During a median follow-up of 40.4 months, 16 patients died. Median OS was 45.1 months and 5-year OS was 35.6%. Conclusions: IC produced heterogeneous, generally modest radiological changes. The largest baseline node decreased significantly, whereas total nodal burden did not. These data do not establish the superiority of one regimen or a causal survival benefit from surgery and should be considered hypothesis-generating.
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BibTeX
@article{camerino2026clinical,
title = {{Clinical and Radiological Outcomes After Curative-Intent Induction Chemotherapy for Primary Advanced Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma}},
author = {Paola Lovino Camerino and I-Ching Chen and Cheng-Lung Hsu and Chi-Kuang Young and Chih-Yung Yang and Yu-Feng Hu and Hung-Ming Wang and Valentina Campagnari and Chun-Ta Liao and Chung-Kan Tsao and Shiang-Fu Huang},
journal = {Journal of Clinical Medicine},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/jcm15208165},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/15/20/8165},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Clinical and Radiological Outcomes After Curative-Intent Induction Chemotherapy for Primary Advanced Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma
AU - Paola Lovino Camerino
AU - I-Ching Chen
AU - Cheng-Lung Hsu
AU - Chi-Kuang Young
AU - Chih-Yung Yang
AU - Yu-Feng Hu
AU - Hung-Ming Wang
AU - Valentina Campagnari
AU - Chun-Ta Liao
AU - Chung-Kan Tsao
AU - Shiang-Fu Huang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - Journal of Clinical Medicine
DO - 10.3390/jcm15208165
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/15/20/8165
AB - Background/Objectives: The role of induction chemotherapy (IC) in advanced oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) remains controversial. This study evaluated patient-level changes in primary-tumour and cervical nodal dimensions, subsequent definitive treatment, and survival after curative-intent IC. Methods: We retrospectively analysed 38 patients with primary, non-metastatic OCSCC treated with curative-intent IC between 2009 and 2024. Recurrent disease, second primary tumours, non-squamous histology, non-oral primary sites, baseline metastatic disease, direct chemoradiotherapy, and palliative systemic treatment were excluded. A prespecified simplified unidimensional radiological analysis was performed. The maximum axial primary-tumour diameter, the largest baseline cervical node, and total recorded nodal burden were compared before and after IC. Baseline nodes absent after IC were coded as 0 mm only when disappearance was confirmed on post-IC anatomical imaging. The overall survival (OS) was measured from IC initiation. Results: Primary-tumour measurements were evaluable in 25 patients. Median diameter decreased from 55.0 to 46.0 mm, corresponding to a median change of −13.5% (p = 0.049). The largest baseline node was evaluable in 19 patients and decreased from 17.0 to 13.0 mm, a median change of −16.7% (p = 0.004). Total nodal burden changed by a median of −8.3% (p = 0.257). Primary-tumour change did not differ significantly from largest-node change (p = 0.073) or total nodal-burden change (p = 0.860). TP and TPF showed no difference in primary-tumour change (p = 0.954). During a median follow-up of 40.4 months, 16 patients died. Median OS was 45.1 months and 5-year OS was 35.6%. Conclusions: IC produced heterogeneous, generally modest radiological changes. The largest baseline node decreased significantly, whereas total nodal burden did not. These data do not establish the superiority of one regimen or a causal survival benefit from surgery and should be considered hypothesis-generating.
SN - 2077-0383
ER -