Treatment outcome and prognostic factors of head and neck hemangiopericytoma: meta-analysis

Abstract

Background: Head and neck hemangiopericytoma (HNHPC) is rare. Treatment outcome and specific prognostic factors were unexplored.

Methods: A case meta-analysis, in which treatment and outcome data were available, was performed.

Results: A total of 116 primary HNHPC cases were analyzed. Poor pathologic differentiation was associated with increased risk of tumor recurrence (odds ratio [OR] = 2.378; p = .005), metastasis (OR = 3.634; p = .011), and mortality (OR = 4.563; p = .002), whereas surgery was associated with decreased risk of tumor recurrence (OR = 0.109; p = .004). The tumor size >5.0 cm in diameter (hazard ratio [HR] = 6.391; p = .002), nonsurgical treatment (HR = 7.648; p = .000), and poor pathologic differentiation (HR = 1.705; p = .012) were the independent unfavorable prognostic factors for disease-free survival. Moreover, nonsurgical treatment (HR = 8.097; p = .002) and deep tumor location (HR = 4.074; p = .013) were independent adverse prognostic factors for overall survival (OS).

Conclusion: These results suggest a management emphasizing the surgical removal of the tumor as first-line treatment. Tumor size >5.0 cm, poor pathologic differentiation, deep tumor location, and nonsurgical treatment were independent adverse prognostic factors.

Keywords: head and neck; hemangiopericytoma; management; meta-analysis; outcome.