Association between sex and survival in patients with head and neck spindle cell carcinoma

Background Head and neck spindle cell carcinoma (HNSpCC) is a rare histological variant associated with worse outcomes. Our objective was to identify clinicopathological factors associated with survival in patients with HNSpCC compared to patients with conventional head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Methods Using clinical data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database, we performed a survival analysis in patients with HNSpCC or HNSCC between 2004 and 2016. Results A total of 458 HNSpCC and 77 104 HNSCC were identified, including 17% and 16% female, respectively. Five-year disease-specific survival (DSS) was 63.90% and 73.90% in patients with HNSpCC and HNSCC, respectively. Sex (hazard ratio [HR] for females = 2.816; CI: 1.139-6.965; p = 0.025) was significantly associated with DSS in HNSpCC while no association was observed between sex and DSS in HNSCC. Conclusion HNSpCC in women is a specific subgroup of HNSCC, which is associated with a poor prognosis.

Automated summary

Head and neck spindle cell carcinoma (HNSpCC) is a rare histological variant with worse outcomes compared to conventional head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Female patients with HNSpCC have a poorer prognosis, suggesting that HNSpCC in women is a specific subgroup associated with a poor prognosis.