Second cancer incidence, risk factor, and specific mortality in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

• Published in: Otolaryngology-head and neck surgery Vol. 149; no. 4; p. 579
• Main Authors: Lee, Dong Hwan, Roh, Jong-Lyel, Baek, Seunghee, Jung, Jae Hoon, Choi, Seung-Ho, Nam, Soon Yuhl, Kim, Sang Yoon
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.10.2013
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alcohol Drinking - epidemiology; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - mortality; Female; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms - epidemiology; Head and Neck Neoplasms - mortality; Humans; Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms - epidemiology; Incidence; Lung Neoplasms - epidemiology; Lymphatic Metastasis; Male; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; Neoplasms, Multiple Primary - epidemiology; Neoplasms, Second Primary - epidemiology; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Smoking - epidemiology; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; Young Adult; second primary malignancy; cumulative incidence; risk factor; survival; head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
• ISSN: 1097-6817
• DOI: 10.1177/0194599813496373

Second primary malignancies (SPMs) are common in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and have a negative impact on their survival. This study aimed to evaluate risk factors for SPM occurrence and cause-specific mortality in Asian HNSCC patients. A retrospective cohort study. University teaching hospital. Nine hundred and thirty-seven patients without previous cancer history who were treated between 2000 and 2009 and followed for at least 2 years. Confirmation of SPMs was performed by histopathology. The cumulative probability of a SPM among survivors of index HNSCC was calculated using a competing risk model. Univariate and multivariate analyses were utilized to determine factors predictive of SPM occurrence and cause-specific mortality. Of 937 patients, cumulative incidence of SPMs was 7.2% at 0 to 6 months (synchronous), 17.9% at 5 years, and 23.1% at 10 years after index tumor diagnosis. In multivariate analyses, old age (>60 years) (P = .002), hypopharyngeal index tumor site (P = .001), and heavy drinker (P = .001) were independently associated with the development of SPMs, and hypopharyngeal index tumor site were independent variables for SPM-specific survival (P < .001). Cumulative incidence function of SPM-specific mortality according to index tumor sites was significantly higher in the hypopharynx than other sites (P = .011). Elderly patients, hypopharyngeal index cancer patients, or heavy drinkers may require careful surveillance for the development of SPMs. Our results may help identify and properly manage Asian patients at high risk of SPMs.