Basaloid Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx: A National Cancer Database Analysis

Abstract

Objective

Basaloid squamous cell histology is a rare variant that accounts for about 2% of all head and neck squamous cell laryngeal carcinomas. The purpose of this study was to examine overall survival rates of patients according to treatment, stage, and laryngeal subsite.

Study Design

Retrospective analysis.

Setting

National Cancer Database (NCDB).

Subjects and Methods

The NCDB was queried for patients with basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC) who were treated from 2004 to 2014. Five-year overall survival rates were determined by the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate and multivariate analysis was used to identify factors correlated with 5-year overall survival.

Results

The NCDB identified 440 patients meeting inclusion criteria. Median follow-up time was 31.2 months. On univariate analysis, the treatment modalities assessed (surgery alone, surgery with radiotherapy, surgery with chemoradiotherapy, radiotherapy, chemoradiotherapy) did not differ in their survival benefit. On multivariate analysis, only chemoradiotherapy (hazard ratio, 0.587; 95% CI, 0.37-0.93; P = .022) was associated with improved survival. All treatment modalities performed similarly between stage I and II tumors (P = .340) and stage III and IV tumors (P = .154).

Conclusion

This study represents the largest laryngeal BSCC series to date. We found that chemoradiotherapy was associated with improved 5-year overall survival of laryngeal BSCC on multivariate analysis.