Pathologically Determined Tumor Volume vs Pathologic T Stage in the Prediction of Outcome After Surgical Treatment of Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Abstract

Pathologic TV outperforms pT stage in the prediction of outcome following surgical treatment of oropharyngeal cancer. Tumor volume should be considered in the design of prospective surgical trials.

Tumor volume as a predictor of survival in human papillomavirus–positive oropharyngeal cancer

“…High‐risk/low‐risk patient groups based on TNM staging were not associated with OS or DFS after treatment with chemoradiotherapy. This finding is similar to a recent report by Nixon et al concluding that pathologic tumor volume was superior to pathologic T classification in predicting disease‐specific mortality after surgical treatment of oropharyngeal SCC, suggesting that tumor volume may be superior to traditional TNM staging in predicting oncologic outcome regardless of treatment modality. Notably, we observed very few patients with truly advanced T classification, described as T4 in the patients with HPV‐positive oropharyngeal SCC .…”

Pretreatment metabolic tumor volume as a prognostic factor in HPV‐associated oropharyngeal cancer in the context of AJCC 8th edition staging

“…24 Metabolic tumor volume (MTV) is a PET imaging derived marker for tumor volume that has consistently been shown to have prognostic value in head and neck cancer, including oropharyngeal cancers. Given these characteristics the AJCC 8th edition staging manual differentiates staging of these cancers.…”

CT-based volumetric tumor growth velocity: A novel imaging prognostic indicator in oropharyngeal cancer patients receiving radiotherapy

“…10 Meanwhile, Nixon et al found pathologic tumor volume to be more significantly associated with local and distant control and survival than pathologic T stage, but it is difficult to correlate these findings with imaging estimates given the effects of pathologic fixation and specimen drying after surgery. 2,9 …”

“…5–8 However, at least three studies have shown that tumor volume in patients with OSCC more strongly predicts local control than T staging. 6,9,10 Hermans et al also have shown that nodal tumor volume is significantly associated with regional control in patients with tonsillar OSCC. 6 …”