Betel nut chewing history is an independent prognosticator for smoking patients with locally advanced stage IV head and neck squamous cell carcinoma receiving induction chemotherapy with docetaxel, cisplatin, and fluorouracil

Table 4 Results of univariate log-rank analysis of prognostic factors for progression-free survival and overall survival in 162 smoking patients with locally advanced stage IV head and neck squamous cell carcinoma receiving induction chemotherapy with TPF

Factors	No. of patients	Progression-free survival (PFS)		Overall survival (OS)
Factors	No. of patients	2-year PFS rate (%)	P value	2-year OS rate (%)	P value
Age
<53 years old	81	40	0.13	47	0.30
≧53 years old	81	46		56
Clinical 7th AJCC stage
IVA	80	46	0.62	58	0.30
IVB	82	41		45
Clinical T classification
T1 ~ 4a	92	44	0.77	55	0.49
T4b	70	42		46
Clinical N classification
N0/1	48	60	0.012*	69	0.003*
N2/3	114	36		44
Primary tumor site
Oral cavity	62	39	0.19	44	0.18
Others	100	46		56
Primary tumor site
Oropharynx	60	45	0.65	55	0.42
Others	102	42		49
Primary tumor site
Hypopharynx/Larynx	36	50	0.28	61	0.36
Others	126	41		48
Alcohol
Absent	16	56	0.25	69	0.29
Present	146	42		49
Betel nut chewing
Absent	31	67	0.004*	71	0.017*
Present	131	37		47

ISSN: 1477-7819