TABLE 1.
Relationship between xCT expression and clinicopathological parameters. All head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients with tissue samples available (n = 585) for immunohistochemical staining of xCT were included. Alcohol use was defined as 10 doses or more a week and smoking as daily smoking at the time of diagnosis. T‐class and lymph node metastasis status were determined by pathologic staging.
| Total | Low xCT | High xCT | Logistic regression | p | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n | % | n | % | n | % | HR (95% CI) | ||
| Age | ||||||||
| < 65 | 273 | 46.7 | 153 | 46.9 | 120 | 46.3 | 1 | — |
| ≥ 65 | 312 | 53.3 | 173 | 53.1 | 139 | 53.7 | 1.02 (0.74–1.42) | 0.801 |
| Sex | ||||||||
| Female | 210 | 35.9 | 121 | 37.1 | 89 | 34.4 | 1 | — |
| Male | 375 | 64.1 | 205 | 62.9 | 170 | 65.6 | 1.13 (0.80–1.59) | 0.491 |
| T‐class | ||||||||
| T1–2 | 366 | 62.8 | 217 | 66.8 | 149 | 57.8 | 1 | — |
| T3–4 | 217 | 37.2 | 108 | 33.2 | 109 | 42.2 | 1.47 (1.05–2.06) | 0.026 |
|
Unknown 2 | ||||||||
| LNM | ||||||||
| N0 | 326 | 55.7 | 173 | 53.1 | 153 | 59.1 | 1 | — |
| N+ | 259 | 44.3 | 153 | 46.9 | 106 | 40.9 | 0.78 (0.56–1.09) | 0.147 |
| Smoking | ||||||||
| No | 299 | 52.0 | 196 | 60.7 | 103 | 40.4 | 1 | — |
| Yes | 276 | 48.0 | 128 | 39.3 | 148 | 59.6 | 2.28 (1.63–3.19) | < 0.001 |
| Unknown | 10 | |||||||
| Alcohol use | ||||||||
| No | 423 | 74.0 | 254 | 78.6 | 169 | 67.9 | 1 | — |
| Yes | 149 | 26.0 | 169 | 21.4 | 80 | 32.1 | 1.74 (1.20–2.54) | 0.004 |
| Unknown | 13 | |||||||
| Site | ||||||||
| Oral cavity | 287 | 49.1 | 154 | 47.2 | 133 | 51.4 | 1 | — |
| Oropharynx | 138 | 23.6 | 85 | 26.1 | 53 | 20.5 | 0.72 (0.48–1.09) | 0.123 |
| Larynx | 87 | 14.9 | 41 | 12.6 | 46 | 17.8 | 1.30 (0.80–2.10) | 0.286 |
| Hypopharynx | 25 | 4.3 | 12 | 3.7 | 13 | 5.0 | 1.25 (0.55–2.84) | 0.587 |
| Sinonasal areas a | 32 | 5.5 | 19 | 5.8 | 13 | 5.0 | 0.79 (0.38–1.67) | 0.539 |
| CUP | 16 | 2.7 | 15 | 4.6 | 1 | 0.4 | 0.08 (0.01–0.60) | 0.014 |
| Treatment | ||||||||
| Surgery | 190 | 32.5 | 103 | 31.6 | 87 | 33.6 | 1 | — |
| CRT | 105 | 17.9 | 59 | 18.1 | 46 | 17.8 | 0.92 (0.57–1.49) | 0.744 |
| RT | 44 | 7.5 | 25 | 7.7 | 19 | 7.3 | 0.90 (0.46–1.74) | 0.754 |
| Combined b | 210 | 35.9 | 123 | 37.7 | 87 | 33.6 | 0.84 (0.56–1.24) | 0.380 |
| Palliative | 36 | 6.2 | 16 | 4.9 | 20 | 7.7 | 1.48 (0.72–3.03) | 0.284 |
| p16 | ||||||||
| Positive | 98 | 17.2 | 79 | 24.9 | 19 | 7.5 | 0.24 (0.14–0.42) | < 0.001 |
| Negative | 473 | 82.8 | 238 | 75.1 | 235 | 92.5 | 1 | — |
| Unknown | 14 | |||||||
Note: xCT staining scores 0–1 were considered low and scores 2–3 high. Hazard ratios (HR), 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), and statistical significance were calculated using binomial logistic regression analysis.
Abbreviations: CRT, chemoradiotherapy; CUP, cancer of unknown primary; LNM, lymph node metastasis; RT, radiotherapy.
Sinonasal areas including the nasopharynx.
Surgery and CRT or RT.