Outcomes by time to adjuvant therapy in E3311, a phase II trial of transoral surgery (TOS) followed by pathology-based adjuvant treatment in HPV-associated (HPV+) oropharynx cancer (OPC): A trial of the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group.

Authors

null

Robert L. Ferris

Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA

Robert L. Ferris , Yael Flamand , Harry Quon , Gregory S. Weinstein , Ranee Mehra , Joaquin J. Garcia , Seungwon Kim , Bert W. O'malley Jr., Enver Ozer , Giovana R. Thomas , Wayne Koch , Michael Elliot Kupferman , Richard Bryan Bell , Mihir Patel , Miriam Lango , Barbara Burtness

Organizations

Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, Dana Farber Cancer Institute – ECOG-ACRIN Biostatistics Center, Boston, MA, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, Columbus, OH, University of Miami Health System, Miami, FL, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, Providence Cancer Institute, Portland, OR, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT

Research Funding

U.S. National Institutes of Health
U.S. National Institutes of Health

Background: E3311 is a phase II randomized study of intermediate risk HPV+ OPC patients who underwent TOS by credentialed surgeons and were then treated by pathology-guided, deintensified post-operative treatment. Recent retrospective population data suggest that time to post-operative radiotherapy (PORT) > 6 weeks is associated with worse progression-free survival (PFS). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed demographics, pathologic characteristics, and oncologic outcomes in E3311 by time to initiation of PORT (short vs long, exploring both 6 and 7 weeks postop as the cutpoint). Binary and categorical variables were compared using a chi-square test (or a Fisher’s exact test for small sample sizes). Ordinal variables were compared using a Wilcoxon rank sum test. PFS and overall survival (OS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using a log-rank test, which was stratified by intermediate- (Arms B/C) vs high-risk (Arm D). Results: Among 321 evaluable patients, the median time to initiation of PORT was 5.1 weeks (range 0.7-15.7); 5.0 (0.7-15.7) for Arm B, 5.1 (2.4-7.0) for Arm C, 5.6 (3.6-7.9) for Arm D. No significant difference in PFS or OS was observed whether PORT commenced by 6 or 7 weeks postoperatively, compared with longer time to initiation of PORT (p = 0.62 and 0.65, p = 0.30 and p = 0.41, respectively). 3-yr PFS rates were 93.5% (95% CI: 89.4%, 96.0%) among those treated ≤6 weeks, and 91.2% (95% CI: 81.4%, 95.9%) among those treated > 6 weeks; 3-yr OS rates were 96.1% (95% CI: 92.7%, 98.0%) among those treated ≤6 weeks, and 94.1% (95% CI: 84.9%, 97.8%) among those treated > 6 weeks. No significant differences in outcomes were observed between intermediate risk treatment arms (deintensified (50Gy) or standard dose (60Gy) RT). Additional demographic and pathologic characteristics, including primary site, margin status, histologic grade, stage, and extranodal extension were not significantly different between those with short vs long time to PORT, whether 6 or 7 weeks was used as the cutpoint. There were more T2 tumors in those treated > 7 weeks postop (84% vs. 49%, p = 0.007). PS = 1 patients were more numerous among those with shorter time to PORT (10% vs 0%, with the 7 week cutpoint). Conclusions: In contrast to retrospective NCDB data, intermediate- and high-risk HPV+ OPC patients enrolled on E3311 had favorable 3-yr PFS and OS rates that were not significantly worse when adjuvant therapy was started > 6 wks or > 7wks. These results argue against a survival advantage for initiation of PORT within 6 or 7 weeks for early-stage HPV+ OPC managed with high-quality transoral resection. The optimal time window to initiate PORT in HPV+ OPC patients remains to be determined. Clinical trial information: NCT01898494.

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2023 ASCO Annual Meeting

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Head and Neck Cancer

Track

Head and Neck Cancer

Sub Track

Advanced/Metastatic Disease

Clinical Trial Registration Number

NCT01898494

Citation

J Clin Oncol 41, 2023 (suppl 16; abstr 6036)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2023.41.16_suppl.6036

Abstract #

6036

Poster Bd #

28

Abstract Disclosures