Table 3 Validation on retrospective HNSCC cohort of the DKTK-ROG that received primary RCTx. Group characteristics when patients are split according to differentially expressed genes (DEG) into low and high expression groups
| Â | Level | Low | High | p |
|---|---|---|---|---|
n | Â | 68 | 69 | Â |
Gender (%) | f | 15 (22.1) | 10 (14.5) | 0.355 |
| Â | m | 53 (77.9) | 59 (85.5) | Â |
Age (mean [SD]) | Â | 58.90 (9.44) | 58.64 (9.51) | 0.873 |
Chemotherapy (%) | Cisplatin | 58 (85.3) | 56 (81.2) | 0.675 |
| Â | Mitomycin C | 10 (14.7) | 13 (18.8) | Â |
p16 (%) | Positive | 15 (22.1) | 6 (8.7) | *0.040 |
| Â | Negative | 47 (69.1) | 60 (87.0) | Â |
| Â | (Missing) | 6 (8.8) | 3 (4.3) | Â |
HPV16 (%) | Positive | 12 (17.6) | 4 (5.8) | 0.054 |
| Â | Negative | 55 (80.9) | 65 (94.2) | Â |
| Â | (Missing) | 1 (1.5) | 0 (0.0) | Â |
T stage (%) | T2 | 12 (17.6) | 5 (7.2) | 0.161 |
| Â | T3 | 19 (27.9) | 19 (27.5) | Â |
| Â | T4 | 37 (54.4) | 45 (65.2) | Â |
N stage (%) | N0 | 9 (13.2) | 12 (17.4) | 0.296 |
| Â | N1 | 2 (2.9) | 3 (4.3) | Â |
| Â | N2 | 8 (11.8) | 6 (8.7) | Â |
| Â | N2a | 4 (5.9) | 10 (14.5) | Â |
| Â | N2b | 21 (30.9) | 14 (20.3) | Â |
| Â | N2c | 18 (26.5) | 22 (31.9) | Â |
| Â | N3 | 6 (8.8) | 2 (2.9) | Â |
UICC stage (%) | III | 6 (8.8) | 6 (8.7) | 1.000 |
| Â | IV | 62 (91.2) | 63 (91.3) | Â |
Tumor localization (%) | Oral cavity | 8 (11.8) | 14 (20.3) | 0.507 |
| Â | Oropharynx | 35 (51.5) | 29 (42.0) | Â |
| Â | Hypopharynx | 20 (29.4) | 18 (26.1) | Â |
| Â | Oral cavity / Oropharynx | 2 (2.9) | 1 (1.4) | Â |
| Â | Oropharynx / Hypopharynx | 2 (2.9) | 4 (5.8) | Â |
| Â | Oral cavity / Oropharynx / Hypopharynx | 1 (1.5) | 3 (4.3) | Â |
ln(GTV) (mean [SD]) | Â | 3.11 (0.78) | 3.34 (0.85) | 0.098 |
DEG (%) | Low | 68 (100.0) | 0 (0.0) |  < 0.001 |
| Â | High | 0 (0.0) | 69 (100.0) | Â |