Treatment of Head and Neck Cancers in England and Its Effect on Survival
Author Information
Author(s): Dympna M Edwards, N W Johnson
Primary Institution: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine and Pathology, Guy's, King's and Thomas' Schools of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, King's Dental Institute
Hypothesis
The study investigates the patterns of surgery and radiotherapy treatment for head and neck cancers and their effects on survival.
Conclusion
The study found that better survival rates were associated with specific treatments for different types of head and neck cancers.
Supporting Evidence
- Four in ten patients did not receive currently recommended treatments.
- Better survival was associated with surgery for mouth cancers.
- Radiotherapy was linked to better survival for laryngeal cancers.
- Combined treatment for pharyngeal cancers improved survival.
Takeaway
Doctors looked at how different treatments for throat and mouth cancers helped people live longer, and found that some treatments worked better than others.
Methodology
This was a retrospective study analyzing 13,510 cases of head and neck cancers diagnosed and treated from 1984 to 1992, using multivariate analyses and survival models.
Potential Biases
There may be regional variations in treatment that could affect the results.
Limitations
The evidence base for head and neck cancers is low with relatively few randomized controlled trials.
Participant Demographics
Patients diagnosed and treated in three large areas of England from 1984 to 1992.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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