Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology
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Purpose To examine recent utilization and survival outcomes associated with use of adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for patients with resected locally advanced head and neck cancer (LAHNC) with negative surgical margins (SM negative) and no extracapsular extension (ECE). Materials and Methods We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study using the National Cancer Database evaluating patients diagnosed in 2004 to 2012 with AJCC stage III to IVB squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx treated with definitive surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) or CRT. We identified a subset of patients with SM negative and no ECE (n = 10,870). ⋯ Conclusion The use of adjuvant CRT in patients with resected LAHNC with SM negative and no ECE is common. Substantial practice variation as well as the survival differences observed in this study support the conduct of additional research to guide personalized treatment approaches in this setting. The number of positive lymph nodes seems to be an appropriate selection factor for further investigation of CRT in such patients.