Published in

MDPI, Cancers, 6(15), p. 1780, 2023

DOI: 10.3390/cancers15061780

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

The Association between Patient’s Age and Head and Neck Cancer Treatment Decision—A Population-Based Diagnoses-Related Group-Based Nationwide Study in Germany

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

Full text: Download

Green circle
Preprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Postprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Published version: archiving allowed
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

Investigations on the association between patient’s age and head and neck cancer (HNC) treatment decision are sparse. Nationwide diagnoses-related group-based data of 1,226,357 cases hospitalized with primary HNC in Germany from 2005 to 2018 were included. Negative binomial regression was performed to study the development of the treatment rates over time. For all treatment options, i.e., biopsies, surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy/biologicals, increases in the treatment rates were seen in patients >80 years (surgery: oral cavity: relative risk [RR]: 1.2, CI: 1.13–1.20; oropharynx: RR: 1.2, CI: 1.15–1.34; hypopharynx: RR: 1.1, CI: 1.02–1.17; larynx: RR: 1.1, CI: 1.04–1.12; radiotherapy: oral cavity: RR: 1.1, CI: 1.07–1.23; oropharynx: RR: 1.3, CI: 1.16–1.49; hypopharynx: RR: 1.3, CI: 1.21–1.46; larynx: RR 1.2, CI: 1.03–1.29; chemotherapy: oral cavity: RR: 1.2, CI: 1.06–1.31; salivary glands: RR: 1.3, CI: 1.09–1.50; oropharynx: RR: 1.4, CI: 1.12–1.83; hypopharynx: RR: 1.3, CI: 1.06–1.48; larynx: RR: 1.3, CI: 1.08–1.52, all p < 0.05). Older age cohorts (≥80 years) need more awareness as they are mainly responsible for the increase in the rates of surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy/biologics in HNC patients.