Background: For R/M HNSCC, the differences in prognosis and treatment options between distant metastasis (DM) and locoregional recurrence, especially in the DM group, remain unclear.
Methods: From the Taiwan Head Neck Society registry database, patients who were diagnosed with R/M HNSCC and received cetuximab-based frontline therapy were collected for analysis.
Results: Among the enrolled patients, 59.3% (491/827) belonged to the DM group. The DM group had less primary site of oral cavity, less betel nut chewing, higher lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, and higher LDH/albumin ratio compared with the non-DM group. For the patients with primary site of oral cavity and current smokers, DM coexisted with poorer outcomes. In the DM group, EXTREME-like regimen was more suitable for older patients, those with elevated LDH, and those with higher LDH/albumin ratio than TPExtreme-like regimen.
Conclusion: DM coexisted with poorer prognosis in certain groups. LDH-associated biomarkers may aid treatment options for DM patients.
Keywords: biomarkers; cetuximab; distant metastasis; head and neck squamous cell carcinoma; lactate dehydrogenase.
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