Artificial nutrition dependence after cetuximab versus cisplatin combined with radiotherapy for advanced head and neck cancer: A propensity score–matched analysis

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of cetuximab-based radiotherapy (RT) with cisplatin-based concomitant chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) on artificial nutrition dependence in locoregional advanced head and neck cancer. Methods: We identified patients treated with cetuximab-based RT or CCRT between 2012 and 2014 in a Japanese national database, and used propensity score-matched analyses to evaluate artificial nutrition dependence for 30 days after starting chemotherapy and at hospital discharge. Results: Of 3935 eligible patients, propensity score matching generated 250 pairs. Thirty-day artificial nutrition dependence was significantly lower in the cetuximab-based RT group than in the CCRT group (25.6% vs 35.2%; odds ratio [OR] = 0.67; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.46–0.97; p =.036). No significant difference in artificial nutrition dependence at hospital discharge was shown (6.2% vs 7.2%; OR = 1.07; 95% CI = 0.52–2.17; p =.861). Difference in duration of hospitalization was insignificant. Conclusion: Cetuximab-based RT may reduce short-term artificial nutrition dependence compared to CCRT. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 39: 320–325, 2017.