Head and neck carcinoma ? stage at presentation

Abstract

A prospective study was performed during a 2-year-period. A total of 127 patients presenting with a squamous cell carcinoma of the head, neck and upper aerodigestive tract were entered into the study. Patients were classified according to the primary site, namely: larynx (n = 44), oropharynx (n = 28), hypopharynx (n = 17) and oral cavity (n = 19) and others (n = 19). Patients were staged according to the UICC TNM classification (1987) and the nature and duration of their symptoms were recorded. Sixty-one per cent of patients were found to be presenting with advanced disease (stages 3 and 4): oropharynx--71%; hypopharynx--77%; oral cavity--50%; larynx--34%. No relationship could be established between stage at presentation and duration of symptoms and 53% of patients with advanced disease had been symptomatic for less than 3 months at the time of diagnosis. Only 28% of patients presenting with stage 3 or 4 disease had symptoms for 3 months or longer. Earlier diagnosis will not make a significant impact on the overall prognosis in head and neck cancer.

The role of vegetable and fruit consumption and other habits on survival following the diagnosis of oral cancer: a prospective study in Spain

“…The final fully adjusted model shows how delay in diagnosis negatively affects prognosis, by increasing both recurrence and oral cancer mortality rates. Several previous studies report on the importance of early diagnosis in the prognosis of oral cancer patients 8,15,21 . Other studies have reported no association between diagnosis delay and oral cancer survival 8,15 .…”

Decitabine Rescues Cisplatin Resistance in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

“…More than 60% of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients present with advanced-staged disease, which is associated with a high mortality rate [1]. The current treatment for advanced-stage HNSCC is cisplatin and radiation for patients with good performance status; patients with limited performance status receive high-dose cisplatin alone [2]–[4].…”

Clinical Significance of Micrometastatic Cells Detected by E48 (Ly-6D) Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction in Bone Marrow of Head and Neck Cancer Patients

“…About one third of the patients present with early-stage disease (stages I and II; see Table 1), whereas two thirds of the patients present with advanced-stage disease (stages III and IV; ref. 2). Initial therapy of HNSCC is surgery and/or radiotherapy.…”