Clinicopathologic characteristics of secondary squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck in survivors of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for hematologic malignancies

Bone Marrow Transplant. 2019 Apr;54(4):560-566. doi: 10.1038/s41409-018-0299-x. Epub 2018 Aug 20.

Abstract

The risk of late complications including secondary malignancies is increased in long-term survivors of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCT). There is limited literature on the biological behavior and clinical features of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of head and neck post-HSCT. We present the clinical and pathologic characteristics on six patients who were diagnosed with SCC while in remission following an allogeneic HSCT. Median follow-up was 8 years. Five patients (83%) developed SCC of tongue and one developed esophageal SCC. Five patients had oral chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGvHD). The conventional risk factors of alcohol, tobacco, and human papillomavirus were absent. The most common presenting finding was the new-onset focal oral pain and ulcerated plaques clinically indistinguishable from a flare of their oral cGvHD lesions. We demonstrated that the SCC in three patients was of donor origin.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / complications*
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / mortality
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / methods
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck / mortality
  • Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck / therapy*
  • Transplantation Conditioning / adverse effects*
  • Transplantation Conditioning / methods
  • Transplantation, Homologous / adverse effects*
  • Transplantation, Homologous / methods