De Novo Head and Neck Carcinoma in Transplant Recipients: Preliminary Results of Management
Purpose
To evaluate the stage-based definitive management approach of de novo head and neck cancer (HNC) developing in immunocompromised transplant recipients.
Patients and Methods
A retrospective analysis was performed on 5 patients with HNC who had previously received an organ or bone marrow transplant. Surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy (alone or in combination) were the employed therapeutic methods for stage I to IV HNC.
Results
At diagnosis of HNC, the average patient age was 60 years. The average interval between transplantation and the appearance of HNC was 5 years. In addition to immunosuppressive therapy, 4 patients had another risk factor for HNC development—long history of smoking; also, another person was treated by total body irradiation. With appropriate management that included local treatment for early-stage disease and bimodal therapy in cases of locally advanced neoplasms, all patients (4 being tumor-free) were alive at 6 to 38 months’ follow-up.
Conclusion
Although longer follow-up information is needed, we contend that judicious stage-based management of HNC in transplant recipients is associated with outcomes not necessarily different from patients who are not immunosuppressed.
⁎Professor, Department of Radiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA
†Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial–Head and Neck Surgery, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA
‡Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA
§Associate Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial–Head and Neck Surgery, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr Ampil: Division of Therapeutic Radiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, 1501 Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA 71130
ABSTRACT