Impact of treatment delay on survival of oral/oropharyngeal cancers: Results of a nationwide screening program
William Wang‐Yu Su, Yi‐Huah Lee, Amy Ming‐Fang Yen, Sam Li‐Sheng Chen, Chen‐Yang Hsu, Sherry Yueh‐Hsia Chiu, Jean Ching‐Yuan Fann, Yi‐Chia Lee, Han‐Mo Chiu, Shu‐Chun Hsiao, Tsui‐Hsia Hsu, Hsiu‐Hsi Chen
Abstract
BACKGROUND: To assess the impact of treatment delay on survival of oral/oropharyngeal cancer (OSCC). METHODS: We followed 5743 OSCCs between 2004 and 2009 from a population-based screening program and ascertained death until the end of 2012. RESULTS: The hazard ratios (HRs) of mortality from OSCC were 1.46 (1.30-1.65) and 1.18 (1.04-1.33) in univariable and multivariable analyses, respectively, for treatment delay longer than 6 weeks compared with that shorter than 3 weeks. The corresponding figures were 1.12 (1.01-1.24) and 1.00 (0.91-1.11) for treatment delay between 3 and 6 weeks. Advancing age (1.01), higher stage (stage II: 1.84, stage III: 2.97, stage IV: 6.33), cancer in tongue (1.37), or hard palate (1.63) had higher HR of mortality (P < .05). However, treatment at medical center had a lower mortality (0.83, 0.75-0.91) than local/regional hospital. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment delay longer than 6 weeks for OSCCs detected via a population-based screening program had unfavorable survival.