Multimodality Treatment Outcome in Adult Patients with Head and Neck Rhabdomyosarcoma

Abstract

Objective(s)Head and neck rhabdomyosarcoma (HNRMS) is a rare malignant tumor in adults. No standard treatment for adults with HNRMS currently exists.MethodsA retrospective study of 72 newly diagnosed consecutive adult patients with HNRMS was conducted at one institution between November 2010 and April 2023. The log‐rank tests were used to compare the differences in survival between treatment groups, and overall survival (OS), local recurrence‐free survival (LRFS), progression‐free survival (PFS), and distant metastasis‐free survival (DMFS) were calculated using the Kaplan–Meier method. We used restricted cubic spline models fitted for Cox proportional hazards models to determine the association between chemotherapy cycles/radiotherapy dose and mortality.ResultsThe 2‐year OS, PFS, LRFS, and DMFS rates for the entire cohort were 51.0%, 39.2%, 44.3%, and 47.3%, respectively. Radiotherapy significantly improved the OS (p < 0.01), PFS (p < 0.01), LRFS (p < 0.01), and DMFS (p < 0.01). Surgery had no effect on OS (49.3% vs. 53.0%, p = 0.62), PFS (36.9% vs. 41.8%, p = 0.31), LRFS (41.6% vs. 47.4%, p = 0.27), or DMFS (44.4% vs. 50.2%, p = 0.43). The restricted cubic spline showed that eight (HR = 1.002, 95% CI: 0.996–1.007) cycles of chemotherapy and 62.5Gy radiation therapy resulted in the lowest mortality.ConclusionFor HNRMS, eight cycles of chemotherapy and 62.5Gy of radiation might be sufficient. Poor response to chemotherapy predicted an extreme worse outcome. Surgery played a limited role in the treatment.Level of EvidenceIII Laryngoscope, 2024