Journal
CANCER
Volume 122, Issue 22, Pages 3472-3483Publisher
WILEY-BLACKWELL
DOI: 10.1002/cncr.30214
Keywords
age; cetuximab; cisplatin; elderly; head and neck cancer; radiotherapy
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
BACKGROUNDThe purpose of this study was to investigate the use of systemic therapy along with definitive radiotherapy for elderly patients with head and neck cancer. METHODSPatients who were 71 years old or older with stage III to IVB squamous cell carcinoma of the nasopharynx, oropharynx, larynx, or hypopharynx treated with definitive radiotherapy with or without systemic therapy were identified from the National Cancer Data Base. Patterns of systemic therapy use before or during definitive radiotherapy were investigated. The association between systemic therapy use and overall survival was investigated with a multivariate, inverse probability-weighted propensity score-adjusted Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTSElderly patients treated between 2004 and 2012 (n=4165) were identified, and 80.4% received systemic therapy. The median follow-up was 26 months (range, 1.8-125 months), and the 3-year overall survival rate was 51.6% (95% confidence interval, 50.0%-53.2%). During the study period, there was an increase in the frequency of systemic therapy use from 64% in 2004 to 86% in 2012. The use of systemic therapy was associated with improved overall survival in the multivariate model (hazard ratio, 1.456; 95% confidence interval, 1.308-1.620; P<.0001). A threshold age above which the use of systemic therapy was not associated with improved overall survival in select patients was not identified. CONCLUSIONSIn contrast to the available prospective evidence, the majority of elderly patients with locoregionally advanced head and neck cancer treated with definitive radiotherapy also receive systemic therapy. The use of systemic therapy is associated with improved overall survival and should be a patient-specific decision in all age groups. Cancer 2016;122:3472-3483. (c) 2016 American Cancer Society
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available