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Treatment selection in oropharyngeal cancer: a surveillance, epidemiology, and end results (SEER) patterns of care analysis

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Abstract

Purpose

Treatment for oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) has changed over the past two decades under multiple influences. We provide a population-based description of the application of radiotherapy, surgery, and chemotherapy to OPC in 1997, 2004, and 2009.

Methods

The National Cancer Institute’s Patterns of Care study for OPC included multiple variables not available in the public-use dataset. We identified factors correlating with selection of primary surgery versus radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy (RTC) and analyzed predictors of all-cause mortality. We estimated the frequency of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing.

Results

RTC was more common in 2009 than in 1997, and was more commonly applied to Stage IV cases. However, RTC was not an independent risk factor for mortality compared with surgery. HPV status was known in 14% of patients in 2009.

Conclusions

RTC is the most common treatment for OPC, but it may not provide the best outcomes. HPV testing was uncommon in 2009.

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Acknowledgments

Bobbi J. Matt, RHIT-CTR and Donna M. Gress, RHIT-CTR, for assistance with data analysis.

Funding

This work was supported in part under NIH/NCI contract number HHSN261201300020I/HHSN26100006 with University of Iowa (MEC, JAS, CC). This work was also supported by the University of Iowa Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, which is funded in part by NIH/NCI P30 CA086862.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, University of Iowa, 200 Hawkins Drive, 21200 PFP, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA

    Nitin A. Pagedar

  2. Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA

    Catherine Chioreso, Jennifer A. Schlichting, Charles F. Lynch & Mary E. Charlton

  3. State Health Registry of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA

    Charles F. Lynch

Authors
  1. Nitin A. Pagedar
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  2. Catherine Chioreso
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  3. Jennifer A. Schlichting
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  4. Charles F. Lynch
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  5. Mary E. Charlton
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Correspondence to Nitin A. Pagedar.

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Pagedar, N.A., Chioreso, C., Schlichting, J.A. et al. Treatment selection in oropharyngeal cancer: a surveillance, epidemiology, and end results (SEER) patterns of care analysis. Cancer Causes Control 28, 1085–1093 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-017-0938-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-017-0938-3

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