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Impact of age on elderly patients with oral cancer

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Abstract

Introduction

In this study we have tried to analyze the impact of age on various clinico-pathological parameters, treatment completion and subsequent survival in older patients.

Materials and methods

This is a retrospective analysis of 140 elderly (> 65 years) patients of oral cancer operated between January 2012 and December 2013. The patients were divided into two groups based upon their age that ≤ 70 years and > 70 years.Association of distribution of various clinico-pathological factors between different groups was assessed by using Chi-square test. Survival analysis was done using Kaplan Meir analysis. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed.

Results

The two groups had similar distribution of various clinico-pathological factors. Disease free survival for the group ≤ 70 and > 70 years was 37.6 months and 36.4 months (p < 0.594). 13.5% and 7.8% patients > 70 years and ≤ 70 years were either advised or received sub-optimal adjuvant therapy (p < 0.002).

Conclusion

There is no difference distribution of various clinico-pathological factors and survival in patients of oral cancer ≤ 70 and > 70 years of age. Age did not affect survival. Majority of patients could complete the adjuvant therapy advised. Still, significantly more number of patients > 70 years could not receive/complete appropriate adjuvant therapy. Thus treatment needs to be tailored keeping in mind the individual’s performance status and the co-morbidities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Head and Neck Oncology, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, India

    Akshat Malik, Aseem Mishra, Prashant Chopda, Hitesh Singhvi, Sudhir Nair, Deepa Nair & Pankaj Chaturvedi

  2. Department of Radiation Oncology, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, India

    Sarbani Ghosh Laskar & Jai Prakash Agarwal

  3. Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, India

    Kumar Prabhash

Authors
  1. Akshat Malik
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  2. Aseem Mishra
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  3. Prashant Chopda
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  4. Hitesh Singhvi
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  5. Sudhir Nair
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  7. Sarbani Ghosh Laskar
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  8. Kumar Prabhash
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  9. Jai Prakash Agarwal
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  10. Pankaj Chaturvedi
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Correspondence to Pankaj Chaturvedi.

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Malik, A., Mishra, A., Chopda, P. et al. Impact of age on elderly patients with oral cancer. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 276, 223–231 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-018-5191-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-018-5191-1

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