The effect of waiting time on local control and survival in head and neck carcinoma patients treated with radiotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the influence of waiting time for radiotherapy on local control and survival in a cohort of patients with head and neck carcinoma of different locations and stages treated with radiotherapy.


METHODS
Retrospective study of 797 patients with squamous cell carcinoma located in the oral cavity, pharynx or larynx, treated with radiotherapy, and with a minimum follow-up of 3 years. Local recurrence and survival were analyzed in function of the waiting time, defined as the interval between date of histologic diagnosis and date of radiotherapy. A univariate and multivariate analysis was carried out.


RESULTS
Median waiting time to radiotherapy was 44 days (25 and 75% quartiles: 33 and 60 days). There were significant differences in the waiting time period in relation to the primary location and the local extension of the tumor. Both univariate and multivariate analysis showed that waiting time had no significant impact either on local control or survival.


CONCLUSIONS
Within the range of the waiting time observed in our study, delay in the initiation of radiotherapy did not affect local control or survival in patients with head and neck carcinoma.
Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Avda. San Antoni Ma Claret, 167, 08025 Barcelona, Spain.
Xavier
X
León
Manuel
M
de Vega
César
C
Orús
Josep
J
Morán
Juan
J
Vergés
Miquel
M
Quer
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D018307:Neoplasms, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors