Relevance of the time interval between surgery and adjuvant radio (chemo) therapy in HPV-negative and advanced head and neck carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP)

Table 3 Oncological outcomes

	All patients (n = 59)	Early treatment group (n = 30)	Delayed treatment group (n = 29)	Statistical comparison
Recurrence of disease:
Local & Regional metastases	5 (8.5%)	3 (10.0%)	2 (6.9%)	X²₍₁₎ = 1.57, p = 0.692
Distant metastases	11 (18.6%)	5 (16.7%)	6 (20.7%)
5-year OS rate
Events (death)	11 (18.6%)	4 (16.7%)	7 (24.1%)	X²₍₁₎ = 1.16, p = 0.281*
KM Estimate (95%-CI)	0.71 [0.55;0.86]	0.77 [0.48;1.06]	0.64 [0.42;0.80]	X²₍₁₎ = 1.16, p = 0.281*
5-year DSS rate
Events (death)	6 (10.2%)	1 (3.3%)	5 (17.2%)	X²₍₁₎ = 2.32, p = 0.128*
KM Estimate (95%-CI)	0.86 [0.75;0.96]	0.95 [0.89;1.01]	0.76 [0.57;0.95]	X²₍₁₎ = 2.32, p = 0.128*
5-year PFS rate
Events (death)	14 (23.7%)	6 (20.0%)	8 (27.6%)	X²₍₁₎ = 0.29, p = 0.589*
KM Estimate (95%-CI)	0.72 [0.59;0.85]	0.78 [0.63;0.94]	0.65 [0.45;0.85]	X²₍₁₎ = 0.29, p = 0.589*

Abbreviations: Early treatment group = adjuvant treatment was implemented in less than 55 d after surgery; Delayed treatment group = adjuvant treatment was implemented within or later than 55 d following surgery; OS overall survival; DSS disease-specific survival; PFS progression-free survival; KM Kaplan-Meier. *Calculated with the Log-Rank-Test

ISSN: 1471-2407