Racial disparity in oncologic and quality-of-life outcomes in patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinomas enrolled in a randomized phase 2 trial.

BACKGROUND

To better understand patient-reported quality of life (PRQOL) for patients with head and neck cancer, PRQOL scores were collected in a clinical trial.

METHODS

Patients were randomized to arm A (70 Gy of radiation with cisplatin) or arm B (70 Gy of radiation with cisplatin plus erlotinib at 150 mg daily). PRQOL scores were measured on days -7 (arm B only), 0, 30, and 180 with the University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire. Associations with clinical factors and outcomes were explored with linear mixed, logistic, and Cox regression models.

RESULTS

One hundred eighty-nine patients (97 in arm A and 92 in arm B) consented to PRQOL collection. Patients were balanced apart from more females in arm A (20 [21%] vs 8 [9%]; P = .02). There were 17 black patients (18%) in arm A and 12 (13%) in arm B (P = .39). There was no change in the mean scores in arm B from day -7 to day 0 (P = .36). Scores were lower in both arms at day 30 (P for both < .0001), with no difference by arm (P = .10). Scores on day 180 remained lower for arm A (-6.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], -12.6 to -1.0; P = .02). In arm B, this difference was not significant, and this suggested that the scores had returned to the baseline by day 180 (P = .73). After adjustments for potential confounders, black race was an independent predictor for inferior scores (-11.4; 95% CI, -16.84 to -5.94; P < .0001), complete response rates (odds ratio, 0.34; 95% CI, 0.12-0.91; P = .03), and overall survival (hazard ratio, 3.71; 95% CI, 1.63-8.47; P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

PRQOL scores predictably worsened during and improved after chemoradiation. Black patients had inferior PRQOL and overall survival. Cancer 2018;124:2841-2849. © 2018 American Cancer Society.