Risk of New Primary Cancer in Patients with Oropharyngeal Cancer
Author Information
Author(s): A.-L. Soderholm, E. Pukkala, C. Lindqvist, L. Teppo
Primary Institution: Helsinki University Hospital; Finnish Cancer Registry
Hypothesis
What is the relative risk of subsequent cancers in patients with lip and oropharyngeal cancer?
Conclusion
Patients with lip and oropharyngeal cancer have an elevated risk of developing new primary cancers.
Supporting Evidence
- 1,130 patients (12%) developed a new cancer.
- The standardized incidence ratio (SIR) for lip cancer patients was 1.2 and for oropharyngeal cancer patients was 1.4.
- Radiotherapy did not increase the risk of new cancer.
- Young women with tongue cancer had a particularly high SIR of 3.7.
Takeaway
If someone has lip or throat cancer, they might get other types of cancer later on, especially lung cancer.
Methodology
The study analyzed data from the Finnish Cancer Registry for patients diagnosed with lip and oropharyngeal cancer between 1953 and 1989.
Potential Biases
Potential coding issues in distinguishing new cancers from recurrences.
Limitations
The study did not include patients with cancers of the salivary glands and nasopharynx.
Participant Demographics
The cohort included 9,092 patients, with a predominance of male lip cancer patients (55%).
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
95% CI 1.1-1.3 for lip cancer; 95% CI 1.2-1.4 for oropharyngeal cancer.
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
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