Demographics and efficacy of head and neck cancer screening

Abstract

Objectives This study was designed to (1) describe the demographics and (2) determine the efficacy of a head and neck cancer screening program in order to optimize future programs. Methods After IRB approval, we conducted a retrospective cohort study to review a single institution’s 14-year experience (1996–2009) conducting a free annual head and neck cancer screening clinic. Available demographic and clinical data, as well as clinical outcomes were analyzed for all participants (n=761). The primary outcome was the presence of a finding suspicious for head and neck cancer on screening evaluation. Results Five percent of participants had findings suspicious for head and neck cancer on screening evaluation, and malignant or pre-malignant lesions were confirmed in one percent of participants. Lack of insurance (p=.05), tobacco use (p<.001), male gender (p=.03), separated marital status (p=.03), and younger age (p=.04) were the significant demographic predictors of a lesion suspicious for malignancy. Patients complaining of a neck mass (p<.001) or oral pain (p<.001) were significantly more likely to have findings suspicious of malignancy. A high percentage (40%) was diagnosed with benign otolaryngologic pathologies on screening evaluation. Conclusions A minority of patients presenting to a head and neck cancer screening clinic will have a suspicious lesion identified. Given these findings, in order to achieve maximal potential benefit, future head and neck cancer screening clinics should target patients with identifiable risk factors and take full advantage of opportunities for education and prevention.

Visual screening of oral cavity cancer in a male population: Experience from a medical center

“…18 However, another study found that those who evidenced abnormal findings were significantly older and smoked more packs of cigarettes per day than those participants who did not evidence abnormal findings. 19 As all our participants were covered by national health insurance, the difference between those with insurance and those without could not be investigated.…”

“…18 Only 0.9% of participants had malignant or premalignant lesions confirmed. The authors suggested that such screening programs should target patients with identifiable risk factors.…”

Surgical site infections following oral cavity cancer resection and reconstruction is a risk factor for plate exposure

“…In the present study, we chose a homogenous population of patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma. This patient population is associated with risk factors such as smoking that in and of themselves may predispose patients to impaired healing and subsequent plate complications [28]. Other non-surgical factors such as diabetes has been shown to significantly predict plate complications [9].…”

Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients in the head and neck surgery department of a university hospital

“…29 In the present study, a high prevalence of white skin individuals (90.04%) was observed, similar to the findings from a study conducted recently in the southern states of Brazil 30 and the Midwest of the United States. 31 However, Hayat et al 32 observed a higher prevalence of head and neck cancer among AfricanAmerican descendants from different areas of the United States.…”