Patients with squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck who received docetaxel plus cisplatin and fluorouracil induction chemotherapy plus chemoradiotherapy had a significantly longer survival than did patients who received cisplatin and fluorouracil induction chemotherapy plus chemoradiotherapy. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00273546 [ClinicalTrials.gov].).

Purpose This multinational study evaluated the antitumor activity of nivolumab in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Tumor and plasma-based biomarkers were investigated in an exploratory analysis. Patients and Methods Patients with multiply pretreated recurrent or metastatic NPC were treated with nivolumab until disease progression. The primary end point was objective response rate (ORR) and secondary end points included survival and toxicity. The expression of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and human leukocyte antigens A and B in archived tumors and plasma clearance of Epstein-Barr virus DNA were correlated with ORR and survival. Results A total of 44 patients were evaluated and the overall ORR was 20.5% (complete response, n = 1; partial response, n = 8). Nine patients received nivolumab for > 12 months (20%). The 1-year overall survival rate was 59% (95% CI, 44.3% to 78.5%) and 1-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate was 19.3% (95% CI, 10.1% to 37.2%). There was no statistical correlation between ORR and the biomarkers; however, a descriptive analysis showed that the proportion of patients who responded was higher among those with PD-L1 positive tumors (> 1% expression) than those with PD-L1-negative tumors. The loss of expression of one or both human leukocyte antigen class 1 proteins was associated with better PFS than when both proteins were expressed (1-year PFS, 30.9% v 5.6%; log-rank P = .01). There was no association between survival and PD-L1 expression or plasma Epstein-Barr virus DNA clearance. There was no unexpected toxicity to nivolumab. Conclusion Nivolumab has promising activity in NPC and the 1-year overall survival rate compares favorably with historic data in similar populations. Additional evaluation in a randomized setting is warranted. The biomarker results were hypothesis generating and validation in larger cohorts is needed.

HPV+ OPC has a different biology compared with HPV- OPC; 5-year OS, PFS, and local-regional control are unprecedented. These results support the possibility of selectively reducing therapy and long-term morbidity in HPV+ OPC while preserving survival and approaching HPV- disease with more aggressive treatment.

The burden of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) is greater for blacks than for whites, especially in oropharyngeal cases. We previously showed retrospectively that disease-free survival was significantly greater in white than in black SCCHN patients treated with chemoradiation, the greatest difference occurring in the oropharyngeal subgroup. Oropharyngeal cancer is increasing in incidence and in its association with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection; HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer patients have significantly better outcomes (versus HPV-negative). These collective data led to the present analyses of overall survival (OS) in our retrospective cohort and of OS and HPV status (tested prospectively in pretreatment biopsy specimens) in the phase 3, multicenter TAX 324 trial of induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiation in SCCHN patients. Median OS in the retrospective cohort of 106 white and 95 black SCCHN patients was 52.1 months (white) versus only 23.7 months (black; P = 0.009), due entirely to OS in the subgroup of patients with oropharyngeal cancer—69.4 months (whites) versus 25.2 months (blacks; P = 0.0006); no significant difference by race occurred in survival of non-oropharyngeal SCCHN (P = 0.58). In TAX 324, 196 white patients and 28 black patients could be assessed for HPV status. Median OS was significantly worse for black patients (20.9 months) than for white patients (70.6 months; P = 0.03) and dramatically improved in HPV-positive (not reached) versus HPV-negative (26.6 months, 5.1 hazard ratio) oropharyngeal patients (P < 0.0001), 49% of whom were HPV-16 positive. Overall, HPV positivity was 34% in white versus 4% in black patients (P = 0.0004). Survival was similar for black and white HPV-negative patients (P = 0.56). This is the first prospective assessment of confirmed HPV status in black versus white SCCHN patients. Worse OS for black SCCHN patients was driven by oropharyngeal cancer outcomes, and that for black oropharyngeal cancer patients by a lower prevalence of HPV infection. These findings have important implications for the etiology, prevention, prognosis, and treatment of SCCHN.

Background With a minimum follow up of 2 years, the TAX324 study demonstrated a significant survival benefit of induction chemotherapy (IC) with docetaxel, cisplatin and 5FU (TPF) versus cisplatin and 5fluorouracil (PF) followed by chemoradiotherapy with carboplatin delivered as sequential therapy (ST) in locally advanced head and neck cancer (LAHNC). We report the long term results with 5 years minimum follow-up. Methods TAX324 was a randomized, open-label phase 3 trial comparing three cycles of TPF IC (docetaxel 75 mg/m2 of body-surface area, followed by intravenous cisplatin 100 mg/m2 and 5fluorouracil 1000 mg/m2 per day administered as a continuous 24-hour infusion for 4 days) with three cycles of PF (intravenous cisplatin 100 mg/m2, followed by fluorouracil 1000 mg/m2 per day as a continuous 24-hour infusion for 5 days). Both regimens were followed by 7 weeks of chemoradiotherapy with concomitant weekly carboplatin (AUC1.5). Randomization was performed centrally with the use of a biased-coin minimization technique. At study entry, patients were stratified according to the site of the primary tumor, nodal status (N0 or N1 vs. N2 or N3), and institution. For this long term analysis, data was gathered retrospectively. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were the primary endpoints. Data as of December 1, 2008 were analyzed. Tracheostomy and gastric feeding tube dependence were used as surrogates for treatment related long term toxicity. The median follow-up was 72.2 months (mo) (IQR for TPF =33 mo, PF =34 mo and for all pts =34 months). The analysis was based on data from all 501 patients. 61 patients were lost to follow-up and their data as of the initial analysis in 2005 was used. Findings OS was significantly better with TPF versus PF (HR=0.74, 95%CI: 0.58–0.94), with an estimated 5-yr survival rate of 0.52 and 0.42 in the TPF and PF arms, respectively. Median survival time was 70.6 mo (95%CI: 49.0–89.0 mo) with TPF versus 34.8 mo (the 95%CI: 22.6–48.0 mo) in the PF group (p=0.014). PFS was also significantly better with TPF (38.1 mo; 95%CI 19.3–66.1 mo vs. 13.2 mo, 95%CI 10.6–20.7 mo; HR= 0.75, 95%CI: 0.60–0.94). Subjects with hypopharyngeal and laryngeal cancer had significantly superior PFS with TPF (HR=0.68, the 95%CI: 0.47–0.98). No significant difference for dependence on gastric feeding tubes and tracheotomies was detected between the treatment groups. In the TPF arm 3 out of 91 patients (3%) remained feeding tube dependent (no information in 40 cases) while 8 out of 71 (10%) patients required feeding tubes in the PF arm (no information in 30 cases). 6 out of 92 (7%) patients had tracheostomies (no information in 39) versus 8/71 (13%) (no information in 30) in the TPF and PF groups, respectively. Interpretation IC with TPF provides long term survival benefit compared to PF in LAHNC. Patients who are candidates for IC should be treated with TPF.

PurposeThis study explores whether gender, age and race differences in oral sexual behavior account for the demographic distribution of oral human papillomavirus infection (HPV) and HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer (HPV-OSCC)MethodsThis analysis included 2,116 men and 2,140 women from NHANES (2009–10) who answered a behavioral questionnaire and provided an oral-rinse sample for HPV detection. Weighted prevalence estimates and prevalence ratios (PR) were calculated for sexual behaviors and oral HPV infection by gender, age-cohort (20–29, 30–44, 45–59, 60–69), and race, and contrasted with incidence rate ratios (IRR) of OSCC from SEER 2009. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate predictors of oral sexual behavior and oral HPV16 infection.ResultsDifferences in oral sexual behavior were observed by gender, age-cohort and race. Most men (85.4%) and women (83.2%) had ever performed oral sex, but men had more lifetime oral and vaginal sexual partners and higher oral HPV16 prevalence than women (each p<0.001). 60–69 year olds (yo) were less likely than 45–59 or 30–44 (yo) to have performed oral sex (72.7%, 84.8%, and 90.3%, p<0.001), although oral HPV16 prevalence was similar. Prevalence ratios (PR) of ever oral sex in men vs. women (PR = 1.03), and 45–59 vs. 30–44 year-old men (PR = 0.96) were modest relative to ratios for oral HPV16 infection (PRs = 1.3–6.8) and OSCC (IRR = 4.7–8.1). In multivariate analysis, gender, age-cohort, and race were significant predictors of oral sexual behavior. Oral sexual behavior was the primary predictor of oral HPV16 infection; once this behavior was adjusted for, age-cohort and race were no longer associated with oral HPV16.ConclusionThere are differences in oral sexual behaviors when considering gender, age-cohort and race which explain observed epidemiologic differences in oral HPV16 infection across these groups.

Purpose: Cisplatin adducts to nuclear DNA (nDNA) are felt to be the molecular lesions that trigger apoptosis, but the mechanism linking nDNA adduct formation and cell death is unclear. Some literature in the last decade has suggested a possible direct effect of cisplatin on mitochondria independent of nDNA interaction. In this study, we define separately the sequelae of cisplatin interactions with nDNA and with mitochondria in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines. Experimental Design: Cisplatin binding to mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and proteins was analyzed by atomic absorption spectroscopy and other methods.

Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) activity has been reported to be produced by several human cancers. Identification of RNAs transcribed from the IGF-I gene has been complicated by the detection of multiple hybridizing bands on Northern analysis. To determine if any of these RNAs are transcribed from the IGF-I gene, we have used a sensitive and specific ribonuclease (RNAse) protection assay for IGF-I. We have also studied the breast cancer tissue expression of IGF-I using in situ hybridization histochemistry. We have found no IGF-I mRNA in breast (zero of 11) or colon cancer (zero of 9) cell lines; both of these tumors have been previously reported to express IGF-I mRNA. However, three of three neuroepithelioma and one of two Ewing's sarcoma cell lines express IGF-I mRNA; therefore, in these tumors IGF-I may be an autocrine growth factor. In contrast to breast cancer cell lines, RNA extracted from breast tissues has easily detectable IGF-I mRNA. In situ hybridizations show that IGF-I mRNA is expressed in the stromal cells, and not by normal or malignant epithelial cells. These findings suggest that although IGF-I is not produced by breast epithelial cells it may function as either a paracrine stimulator of epithelial cells or an autocrine stimulator of stromal cells.