Table 1.
Main characteristics of the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients of the test cohort (TC; N = 90) and independent validation cohort (iVC; N = 32) investigated.
| TC | iVC | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Covariate | Category | n | (%) | n | (%) | P value |
| Sex | Female | 12 | (13.3) | 5 | (15.6) | 0.748 |
| Male | 78 | (86.7) | 27 | (84.4) | ||
| Localization | Oropharynx | 28 | (31.1) | 0 | (0.0) | <0.001 |
| Other | 62 | (68.9) | 32 | (100.0) | ||
| Oropharynx | 28 | (31.1) | 0 | (0.0) | <0.001 | |
| Hypopharynx | 20 | (22.2) | 19 | (59.4) | ||
| Larynx | 24 | (26.7) | 13 | (40.6) | ||
| Other | 18 | (20.0) | 0 | (0.0) | ||
| T category | Tx | 1 | (1.1) | 0 | (0.0) | 0.025 |
| T1 | 13 | (14.4) | 0 | (0.0) | ||
| T2 | 21 | (23.3) | 3 | (9.4) | ||
| T3 | 21 | (23.3) | 15 | (46.9) | ||
| T4a | 32 | (35.6) | 14 | (43.8) | ||
| T4b | 2 | (2.2) | 0 | (0.0) | ||
| N category | N0 | 32 | (35.6) | 3 | (9.4) | 0.010 |
| N1 | 7 | (7.8) | 1 | (3.1) | ||
| N2a | 5 | (5.6) | 0 | (0.0) | ||
| N2b | 22 | (24.4) | 13 | (40.6) | ||
| N2c | 9 | (10.0) | 14 | (43.8) | ||
| N3 | 5 | (5.6) | 1 | (3.1) | ||
| N category | N0 | 32 | (35.6) | 3 | (9.4) | 0.005 |
| N+ | 58 | (64.4) | 29 | (90.6) | ||
| M category | M0 | 87 | (96.7) | 32 | (100.0) | |
| M1 | 3 | (3.3) | 0 | (0.0) | ||
| Stage | UICC I | 8 | (8.9) | 0 | (0.0) | 0.055 |
| UICC II | 11 | (12.2) | 0 | (0.0) | ||
| UICC III | 9 | (10.0) | 4 | (12.5) | ||
| UICC IVA | 53 | (58.9) | 27 | (84.4) | ||
| UICC IVB | 6 | (6.7) | 1 | (3.1) | ||
| UICC IVC | 3 | (3.3) | 0 | (0.0) | ||
| Stage | Early | 19 | (21.1) | 0 | (0.0) | 0.006 |
| Advanced | 71 | (78.9) | 32 | (100.0) | ||
| Human papillomavirus (HPV) status | High-risk HPV-DNA+ | 17 | (18.9) | 0 | (0.0) | 0.008 |
| High-risk HPV-DNA− | 73 | 32 | (100.0) | |||
| HPV16-DNA+ | 13 | (14.4) | 0 | (0.0) | 0.023 | |
| HPV16-DNA− | 77 | (85.6) | 32 | (100.0) | ||
| HPV16-DNA + RNA+ | 8 | (8.9) | 0 | (0.0) | 0.081 | |
| HPV16 RNA− | 82 | (91.1) | 32 | (100.0) | ||
| Tobacco smoking behavior | Non-smoker | 19 | (21.1) | 0 | (0.0) | 0.004 |
| Smoker | 70 | (77.8) | 32 | (100.0) | ||
| Missing | 1 | (1.1) | 0 | (0.0) | ||
| Non-smoker | 19 | (21.1) | 0 | (0.0) | 0.046 | |
| <10 pack years | 2 | (2.2) | 2 | (6.3) | ||
| 10 < 20 pack years | 5 | (5.6) | 5 | (15.6) | ||
| 20 < 30 pack years | 8 | (8.9) | 4 | (12.5) | ||
| 30 < 40 pack years | 26 | (28.9) | 9 | (28.1) | ||
| ≥40 pack years | 29 | (32.2) | 12 | (37.5) | ||
| Missing | 1 | (1.1) | 0 | (0.0) | ||
| Alcohol consumption | No | 9 | (10.0) | 1 | (3.4) | 0.218 |
| Yes | 80 | (88.9) | 31 | (96.6) | ||
| Missing | 1 | (1.1) | 0 | (0.0) | ||
| Alcohol consumption category | 0 | 10 | (11.1) | 1 | (3.4) | 0.455 |
| >0 < 30 g/day | 31 | (34.4) | 11 | (34.4) | ||
| 30 < 60 g/day | 24 | (26.7) | 8 | (25.0) | ||
| ≥60 g/day | 24 | (26.7) | 12 | (37.5) | ||
| Missing | 1 | (1.1) | 0 | (0.0) | ||
| Therapy | Surgery (Op) | 19 | (21.1) | 0 | (0.0) | <0.001 |
| Radiotherapy (RT) | 6 | (6.7) | 0 | (0.0) | ||
| Op + PORT | 19 | (21.1) | 0 | (0.0) | ||
| Op + PORChT | 16 | (17.8) | 0 | (0.0) | ||
| Primary concurrent RChT | 3 | (3.3) | 0 | (0.0) | ||
| DeLOS-II (IC + RT) | 12 | (13.3) | 32 | (100.0) | ||
| IC + Op + PORT | 13 | (14.4) | 0 | (0.0) | ||
| Best supportive care (BSC) | 2 | (2.2) | 0 | (0.0) | ||
| Therapies applied | Monomodal | 25 | (27.8) | 0 | (0.0) | 0.002 |
| Multimodal | 63 | (70.0) | 32 | (100.0) | ||
| BSC | 2 | (2.2) | 0 | (0.0) | ||
| Received Op | 68 | (75.6) | 5 | (15.6) | <0.001 | |
| No | 22 | (24.4) | 27 | (84.4) | ||
| Received RT | 69 | (76.7) | 32 | (100.0) | 0.003 | |
| No | 21 | (23.3) | 0 | (0.0) | ||
| Received chemotherapy (ChT) | 44 | (48.9) | 32 | (100.0) | <0.001 | |
| No | 46 | (51.1) | 0 | (0.0) | ||
| Received Op + RT | 49 | (54.4) | 5 | (15.6) | <0.001 | |
| No | 41 | (45.6) | 27 | (84.4) | ||
| Received ChT + RT | 44 | (48.9) | 32 | (100.0) | <0.001 | |
| No | 46 | (51.1) | 0 | (0.0) | ||
| Received Op + ChT + RT | 30 | (33.3) | 5 | (15.6) | 0.057 | |
| No | 60 | (66.7) | 27 | (84.4) | ||