Impact of Referring on Survival of Patients with Head and Neck Cancer Treated in Khon Kaen Hospital, Thailand

Authors

  • Khasaya Mongkolthawornchai Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Khon Kaen Hospital, Thailand
  • Patravoot Vatanasapt Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Thailand

Keywords:

Head and Neck Cancer, survival, referral, Thailand

Abstract

Background and Objective: Because of the limited treatment facilities in the primary hospital, most head and neck cancer (HNC) patients had to be referred to higher centers lead to long waiting time. The aim of this study was to compare the survival of patients with HNC treated at Khon Kaen Hospital, between those who resided in Khon Kaen and those who were referred from outside.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted. The data of HNC patients treated at Khon Kaen Hospital between 2012 and 2017 were obtained from a hospital-based cancer registry. Survival analysis was performed to compare the patients residing in Khon Kaen province with those referred from outside.

Results: A total of 927 cases were retrieved, with age between 40 and 80 years, 60% were male. Cancer of oral cavity was the most common site (38.2%), followed by nasopharynx (30.9%), larynx and hypopharynx combined (14.4%) and oropharynx (9.9%). More than half of the patients resided in Khon Kaen province (57.9%). For early-stage cancer, median survival time was significantly better in the residence group than in the referring group (7.21 and 3.96 years, respectively).  Likewise, in the advanced stage, median survival time and observed survivals were not significantly different.

Conclusions: Referring of early-stage HNC cases results in a poorer survival for patients compared with those treated within the area of their residences. Therefore, the ability to treat at least an early-stage HNC should be improved in provincial hospital.

References

Bray F, Ferlay J, Soerjomataram I, Siegel RL, Torre LA, Jemal A. Global cancer statistics 2018: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. CA Cancer J Clin 2018;68(6):394-424. doi:10.3322/caac.21492

Joshi P, Dutta S, Chaturvedi P, Nair S. Head and Neck Cancers in Developing Countries. Rambam Maimonides Med J 2014;5(2):e0009. doi:10.5041/rmmj.10143

Davies L, Welch HG. Epidemiology of head and neck cancer in the United States. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2006;135(3):451-7. doi:10.1016/j.otohns.2006.01.029

Shah J. A century of progress in head and neck cancer YR - 2016/7/1. J Head Neck Physicians Surg 2016;4(2):50-8. doi:10.4103/2347-8128.196181

Lo Nigro C, Denaro N, Merlotti A, Merlano M. Head and neck cancer: improving outcomes with a multidisciplinary approach. Cancer Manag Res 2017;9:363-71. doi:10.2147/CMAR.S115761

Tangjaturonrasme N, Vatanasapt P, Bychkov A. Epidemiology of head and neck cancer in Thailand. Asia Pac J Clin Oncol 2018;14(1):16-22. doi:10.1111/ajco.12757

Rojanamatin J, Ukranun W, Supattagorn P, Chiawiriyabunya M, Wongsena A, Chaiwerawattana P, et al. Cancer in Thailand Vol.X, 2016-2018. 2021. cited December 15, 2021. Available from: https://www.nci.go.th/e_book/cit_x/index.html

Sungwalee W, Vatanasapt P, Suwanrungruang K, Promthet S. Comparing survival of oral cancer patients before and after launching of the Universal Coverage Scheme in Thailand. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2016;17(7):3541-4.

Chow LQM. Head and neck cancer. N Engl J Med 2020;382(1):60-72. doi:10.1056/NEJMra1715715

Wilkens J, Thulesius H, Schmidt I, Carlsson C. The 2015 National cancer program in Sweden: Introducing standardized care pathways in a decentralized system. Health Policy (New York) 2016;120(12):1378-82. doi:10.1016/j.healthpol.2016.09.008

Gago J, Pendharkar D, Tripathi C, Ginsburg O. Making the best use of resources in global cancer care. Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book 2020;40:e361-e366. doi:10.1200/EDBK_290311

Patterson RH, Fischman VG, Wasserman I, Siu J, Shrime MG, Fagan JJ, et al. Global burden of head and neck cancer: economic consequences, Health, and the Role of Surgery. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2020;162(3):296-303. doi:10.1177/0194599819897265

Vatanasapt P, Thanaviratananich S, Ratanaanekchai T, Thepsuthammarat K. The burden of head and neck cancers in Thailand. J Med Assoc Thai 2012;95 (Suppl 7):S182-9.

Schernberg A, Sagaon-Teyssier L, Schwarzinger M. Clinical and economic burden of head and neck cancer: a nationwide retrospective cohort study from France. Clinicoecon Outcomes Res 2019;11:441-51. doi:10.2147/CEOR.S198312

Roy S, Anjum K. The two-week wait - a qualitative analysis of suspected head and neck cancer referrals. Br Dent J 2018;225(2):159-63. doi:10.1038/sj.bdj.2018.528

Downloads

Published

2024-06-24

How to Cite

1.
Mongkolthawornchai K, Vatanasapt P. Impact of Referring on Survival of Patients with Head and Neck Cancer Treated in Khon Kaen Hospital, Thailand. SRIMEDJ [Internet]. 2024 Jun. 24 [cited 2024 Oct. 6];39(3):281-9. Available from: https://li01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/SRIMEDJ/article/view/260361

Issue

Section

Original Articles