Epidemiological characteristics of a Spanish cohort of patients diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck: distribution of risk factors by tumor location

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Abstract
Purpose Head and neck cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease comprising a large number of tumors located in the cervicofacial area. This study aimed to determine the epidemiological characteristics of squamous-cell carcinomas of the head and neck in the Spanish population, and the distribution of risk factors based on tumor locations. Methods/patients A cohort of 459 patients (75 oral cavity, 167 oro-/hypopharyngeal and 217 laryngeal cancers) recruited in 19 hospitals participating in the Spanish head and neck cancer cooperative group were included over 3 years (2012–2014). Epidemiological parameters and risk factors were obtained from a self-administered questionnaire, and tumor characteristics were obtained from clinical records. Multivariate multinomial logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with tumor location. Results Most patients were males (88.4 %), smokers (95 %) and drinkers (76.5 %). Relative to laryngeal cancer, pharyngeal cancer and oral cancer were more common in women than men (OR 3.58, p = 0.003 and 4.33, p = 0.001, respectively); pharyngeal cancer was more associated with rural environment (OR 1.81, p = 0.007) and weekly alcohol intake (10–140 g: OR 2.53, p = 0.012; 141–280 g: OR 2.47, p = 0.023; >280 g: OR 3.20, p = 0.001) and less associated with pack-years of smoking (21–40 packs: OR 0.46, p = 0.045; 41–70 packs: OR 0.43, p = 0.023; ≥71 packs: OR 3.20, p = 0.015). Conclusions The distribution of these tumors differs between the sexes, with a higher proportion of oral cavity and pharyngeal tumors in women than in men. Oro-/hypopharyngeal cancers were more strongly associated with rural areas and with alcohol consumption, although less strongly associated with smoking than laryngeal tumors.
Funding Information
  • Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) and FEDER Funding Program from the European Union (PI11/00519)
  • Gerencia Regional de Salud de Castilla y León (GRS630/A/11)
  • Río Hortega (ISCIII) (CM10/0006)
  • Consejería de Educación - Junta de Castilla y León and the European Social Fund to CC-B (EDU/1084/2012)

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