Phase II Randomized Trial of Transoral Surgery and Low-Dose Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy in Resectable p161 Locally Advanced Oropharynx Cancer: An ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group Trial (E3311)

Robert L. Ferris, Yael Flamand, Gregory S. Weinstein, Shuli Li, Harry Quon, Ranee Mehra, Joaquin J. Garcia, Christine H. Chung, Maura L. Gillison, Umamaheswar Duvvuri, Bert W. O’Malley, Enver Ozer, Giovana R. Thomas, Wayne M. Koch, Neil D. Gross, R. Bryan Bell, Nabil F. Saba, Miriam Lango, Eduardo Méndez, Barbara Burtness

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

PURPOSE Definitive or postoperative chemoradiation (CRT) is curative for human papillomavirus–associated (HPV+) oropharynx cancer (OPC) but induces significant toxicity. As a deintensification strategy, we studied primary transoral surgery (TOS) and reduced postoperative radiation therapy (RT) in intermediate-risk HPV+ OPC. METHODS E3311 is a phase II randomized trial of reduced- or standard-dose postoperative RT for resected stage III-IVa (American Joint Committee on Cancer-seventh edition) HPV+ OPC, determined by pathologic parameters. Primary goals were feasibility of prospective multi-institutional study of TOS for HPV+ OPC, and oncologic efficacy (2-year progression-free survival) of TOS and adjuvant therapy in intermediate-risk patients after resection. TOS plus 50 Gy was considered promising if the lower limit of the exact 90% binomial confidence intervals exceeded 85%. Quality of life and swallowing were measured by functional assessment of cancer therapy-head and neck and MD Anderson Dysphagia Index. RESULTS Credentialed surgeons performed TOS for 495 patients. Eligible and treated patients were assigned as follows: arm A (low risk, n = 38) enrolled 11%, intermediate risk arms B (50 Gy, n = 100) or C (60 Gy, n = 108) randomly allocated 58%, and arm D (high risk, n = 113) enrolled 31%. With a median 35.2-month follow-up for 359 evaluable (eligible and treated) patients, 2-year progression-free survival Kaplan-Meier estimate is 96.9% (90% CI, 91.9 to 100) for arm A (observation), 94.9% (90% CI, 91.3 to 98.6]) for arm B (50 Gy), 96.0% (90% CI, 92.8 to 99.3) for arm C (60 Gy), and 90.7% (90% CI, 86.2 to 95.4) for arm D (66 Gy plus weekly cisplatin). Treatment arm distribution and oncologic outcome for ineligible or step 2 untreated patients (n = 136) mirrored the 359 evaluable patients. Exploratory comparison of functional assessment of cancer therapy-head and neck total scores between arms B and C is presented. CONCLUSION Primary TOS and reduced postoperative RT result in outstanding oncologic outcome and favorable functional outcomes in intermediate-risk HPV+ OPC.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)138-149
Number of pages12
JournalJournal of Clinical Oncology
Volume40
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 10 2022

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Research

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