The tumor-stroma ratio is an independent predictor for survival in nasopharyngeal cancer

Abstract

Background: The tumor-stroma ratio (TSR) has been identified as a new and practicable prognostic histological characteristic of solid tumors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of the TSR in nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC).

Patients and methods: A total of 93 patients who presented with NPC from 2004 to 2007 were studied. Radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy was administered according to their Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) stages. The TSR was assessed visually on hematoxylin and eosin-stained tissue sections of biopsy specimens by 2 independent observers.

Results: The 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 66.67% and 54.91%, respectively, in the stroma-poor group and 40.48% and 33.33%, respectively, in the stroma-rich group. Both the 5-year OS and DFS rates in the stroma-poor group were significantly better than those in the stroma-rich group (p < 0.05). In a multivariate analysis, the TSR was identified as a highly significant prognostic factor for the 5-year OS (hazard ratio (HR) 1.999; p = 0.030) and the 5-year DFS (HR 1.925; p = 0.042).

Conclusion: Stroma-rich tumors were associated with poor prognosis and an increased risk of relapse, which may serve as a new prognostic histological characteristic in NPC.