To determine if there was a higher percentage of patients treated surgically and with advanced radiotherapy in 2016 (N = 897) versus 2009 (N = 1136), the patient and tumor characteristics associated with surgical care and advanced radiotherapy, and if chemotherapy or targeted agent use varied over time for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
Methods:
We utilized Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results Patterns of Care datasets. Rao-Scott Chi-square tests and logistic regressions were applied to determine differences in surgery, advanced radiotherapy (RT), and chemotherapy by year.
Results:
There was a lower prevalence of surgery only treatment in 2016 versus 2009 with exception of oral cavity stages IVB/IVC and unknown, and larynx stage unknown. Advanced RT was more common in 2016 for patients receiving definitive RT among all sites, excluding stages I/II glottic larynx. Among each site (oral cavity, oropharynx, and larynx) lower stage was associated with increased odds of surgery. Among each site, advanced RT was more common in patients receiving definitive versus postoperative RT. For the larynx site, 2016 versus 2009 was associated with greater odds of advanced RT. Systemic treatment with fluorouracil, taxanes, or cetuximab was less prevalent in 2016.
Conclusion:
In 2016 versus 2009, there was largely not a higher percentage of patients treated surgically. There was a higher prevalence of advanced RT for definitive care. Further investigations of these patterns are needed, including trend analysis.
ArgirisAKaramouzisMVRabenDFerrisRL. Head and neck cancer. Lancet. 2008;371(9625):1695-1709.
2.
MarurSForastiereAA. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: update on epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Mayo Clin Proc. 2016;91(3):386-396.
3.
VokesEEWeichselbaumRRLippmanSMHongWK. Head and neck cancer. N Engl J Med. 1993;328(3):184-194.
4.
ForastiereAKochWTrottiASidranskyD. Head and neck cancer. N Engl J Med. 2001;345(26):1890-1900.
5.
Dansky UllmannCHarlanLCShaversVLStevensJL. A population-based study of therapy and survival for patients with head and neck cancer treated in the community. Cancer. 2012;118(18):4452-4461.
6.
PignonJPle MaîtreAMaillardEBourhisJ. Meta-analysis of chemotherapy in head and neck cancer (MACH-NC): an update on 93 randomised trials and 17,346 patients. Radiother Oncol. 2009;92(1):4-14.
7.
ForastiereAA. Phase III trial to preserve the larynx: induction chemotherapy and radiotherapy versus concomitant chemoradiotherapy versus radiotherapy alone, Intergroup Trial R91-11. Paper presented at: Proc ASCO 2001, ASCO conference, 2001.
8.
CalaisGAlfonsiMBardetE, et al. Randomized trial of radiation therapy versus concomitant chemotherapy and radiation therapy for advanced-stage oropharynx carcinoma. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1999;91(24):2081-2086.
9.
ArreseLCLazarusCL. Special groups: head and neck cancer. Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2013;46(6):1123-1136.
10.
KoflerBLabanSBuschCJLörinczBKnechtR. New treatment strategies for HPV-positive head and neck cancer. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2014;271(7):1861-1867.
11.
CohenMAWeinsteinGSO’MalleyBWJrFeldmanMQuonH. Transoral robotic surgery and human papillomavirus status: oncologic results. Head Neck. 2011;33(4):573-580.
12.
YaoMEpsteinJBModiBJPytyniaKBMundtAJFeldmanLE. Current surgical treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Oral Oncol. 2007;43(3):213-223.
13.
BoeroIJParavatiAJXuB, et al. Importance of radiation oncologist experience among patients with head-and-neck cancer treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy. J Clin Oncol. 2016;34(7):684-690.
14.
ChaoKSMajhailNHuangCJ, et al. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy reduces late salivary toxicity without compromising tumor control in patients with oropharyngeal carcinoma: a comparison with conventional techniques. Radiother Oncol. 2001;61(3):275-280.
15.
YaoMDornfeldKJBuattiJM, et al. Intensity-modulated radiation treatment for head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma—the University of Iowa experience. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2005;63(2):410-421.
16.
AbrahamPKishJKKorytowskyB, et al. Real-world treatment patterns, cost of care and effectiveness of therapies for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck pre and post approval of immuno-oncology agents. J Med Econ. 2020;23(2):125-131.
17.
PignonJPBourhisJDomengeCDesignéL. Chemotherapy added to locoregional treatment for head and neck squamous-cell carcinoma: three meta-analyses of updated individual data. MACH-NC Collaborative Group. Meta-Analysis of Chemotherapy on Head and Neck Cancer. Lancet. 2000; 355(9208):949-955.
18.
BonnerJAHarariPMGiraltJ, et al. Radiotherapy plus cetuximab for squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck. N Engl J Med. 2006;354(6):567-578.
19.
PosnerMRHershockDMBlajmanCR, et al. Cisplatin and fluorouracil alone or with docetaxel in head and neck cancer. N Engl J Med. 2007;357(17):1705-1715.
20.
VermorkenJBRemenarEvan HerpenC, et al. Cisplatin, fluorouracil, and docetaxel in unresectable head and neck cancer. N Engl J Med. 2007;357(17):1695-1704.
21.
PointreauYGaraudPChapetS, et al. Randomized trial of induction chemotherapy with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil with or without docetaxel for larynx preservation. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2009;101(7):498-506.
22.
ColevasAD. Chemotherapy options for patients with metastatic or recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. J Clin Oncol. 2006;24(17):2644-2652.
23.
SuzukiMNishimuraYNakamatsuK, et al. Analysis of interfractional set-up errors and intrafractional organ motions during IMRT for head and neck tumors to define an appropriate planning target volume (PTV)-and planning organs at risk volume (PRV)-margins. Radiother Oncol. 2006;78(3):283-290.
24.
KonskiAWatkins-BrunerDFeigenbergS, et al. Using decision analysis to determine the cost-effectiveness of intensity-modulated radiation therapy in the treatment of intermediate risk prostate cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2006;66(2):408-415.
CharlsonMEPompeiPAlesKLMacKenzieCR. A new method of classifying prognostic comorbidity in longitudinal studies: development and validation. J Chronic Dis. 1987;40(5):373-383.
GreeneFLCancerAJCo. AJCC Cancer Staging Manual. Springer; 2002.
29.
EdgeSBComptonCC. The American Joint Committee on Cancer: the 7th edition of the AJCC cancer staging manual and the future of TNM. Ann Surg Oncol. 2010;17(6):1471-1474.
30.
ColevasADYomSSPfisterDG, et al. NCCN guidelines insights: head and neck cancers, version 1.2018. J Natl Compr Cancer Netw. 2018;16(5):479-490.
31.
Thompson-HarveyAYetukuriMHansenAR, et al. Rising incidence of late-stage head and neck cancer in the United States. Cancer. 2020;126(5):1090-1101.
32.
Guntinas-LichiusOWendtTGKornetzkyN, et al. Trends in epidemiology and treatment and outcome for head and neck cancer: a population-based long-term analysis from 1996 to 2011 of the Thuringian cancer registry. Oral Oncol. 2014;50(12):1157-1164.
33.
MouradMJetmoreTJategaonkarAAMoubayedSMoshierEUrkenML. Epidemiological trends of head and neck cancer in the United States: a SEER population study. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2017;75(12):2562-2572.
34.
CuradoMPHashibeM. Recent changes in the epidemiology of head and neck cancer. Curr Opin Oncol. 2009;21(3):194-200.
35.
PagedarNAChioresoCSchlichtingJALynchCFCharltonME. Treatment selection in oropharyngeal cancer: a surveillance, epidemiology, and end results (SEER) patterns of care analysis. Cancer Causes Control. 2017;28(10):1085-1093.
36.
DronkersEAMesSWWieringaMHvan der SchroeffMPBaatenburgdeJongRJ. Noncompliance to guidelines in head and neck cancer treatment; associated factors for both patient and physician. BMC Cancer. 2015;15:515.
37.
VanderWaldeNAMeyerAMLiuH, et al. Patterns of care in older patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: a surveillance, epidemiology, and end results-medicare analysis. J Geriatr Oncol. 2013;4(3):262-270.
38.
SchlichtingJAPagedarNAChioresoCLynchCFCharltonME. Treatment trends in head and neck cancer: surveillance, epidemiology, and end results (SEER) patterns of care analysis. Cancer Causes Control. 2019;30(7):721-732.
39.
ChenAYZhuJFedewaS. Temporal trends in oropharyngeal cancer treatment and survival: 1998–2009. Laryngoscope. 2014;124(1):131-138.
40.
ShaversVLHarlanLCWinnDDavisWW. Racial/ethnic patterns of care for cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, sinuses, and salivary glands. Cancer Metastasis Rev. 2003; 22(1):25-38.
41.
AngKKChenACurranWJJr, et al. Head and neck carcinoma in the United States: first comprehensive report of the Longitudinal Oncology Registry of Head and Neck Carcinoma (LORHAN). Cancer. 2012;118(23):5783-5792.
42.
BhattacharyyaNAbemayorE. Combined changing patterns of hospital utilization for head and neck cancer care: implications for future care. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2013;139(10):1043-1047.
43.
AngKKZhangQRosenthalDI, et al. Randomized phase III trial of concurrent accelerated radiation plus cisplatin with or without cetuximab for stage III to IV head and neck carcinoma: RTOG 0522. J Clin Oncol. 2014;32(27):2940-2950.
44.
MehannaHRobinsonMHartleyA, et al. Radiotherapy plus cisplatin or cetuximab in low-risk human papillomavirus-positive oropharyngeal cancer (De-ESCALaTE HPV): an open-label randomised controlled phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2019;393(10166):51-60.
45.
ChoongNVokesE. Expanding role of the medical oncologist in the management of head and neck cancer. CA Cancer J Clin. 2008;58(1):32-53.
46.
PriceKACohenEE. Current treatment options for metastatic head and neck cancer. Curr Treatment Options Oncol. 2012;13(1):35-46.
Supplementary Material
Please find the following supplemental material available below.
For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.
For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.
