Comparison of prognostic implications between the 7th and 8th edition of AJCC TNM staging system for head and neck soft-tissue sarcoma in adult patients.

PURPOSE

This study aimed to investigate the prognostic factors for head and neck soft-tissue sarcoma (HNSTS) in adults, with the comparisons between the 7th and 8th edition of AJCC TNM staging system.

METHODS

From a cancer registry of a single, tertiary referral medical center, the medical records of 67 patients treated from February 2005 to December 2017 were reviewed.

RESULTS

T1b stage by AJCC 7th edition showed most diverse stage migration by AJCC 8th edition, and T1a or T2b stage by 7th edition remained in T1-3 or T3-4 by 8th edition. T2 stage by 7th edition showed a significantly higher death rate than the T1 stage, with fair discrimination in overall survival. Higher histologic grade and angiosarcoma were significant prognostic factors for recurrence as well as overall survival. Also, nodal and distant metastasis worsen overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS

In our series of patients with HNSTS, higher histologic grade, angiosarcoma, N1, and M1 stage significantly increased the risk of recurrence and worse overall survival, which was not evident in revised T stage by AJCC 8th edition.