The National Cancer Data Base report on squamous cell carcinoma of the base of tongue.
BACKGROUND
This study provides the largest contemporary overview of presentation, care, and outcome for base of tongue squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).


METHODS
We extracted 16,188 cases from the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB). Chi-square analyses were performed on selected cross-tabulations. Observed and disease-specific survival were used to analyze outcome.


RESULTS
Three-quarters had advanced-stage (III-IV) disease. Radiation therapy alone (24.5%) and combined with surgery (26.9%) were the most common treatments. Five-year observed and disease-specific survival rates were 27.8% and 40.3%, respectively. Poorer survival was significantly associated with older age, low income, and advanced-stage disease. For early-stage disease, surgery with or without irradiation had higher survival than irradiation alone. For advanced-stage disease, surgery with irradiation had the highest survival.


CONCLUSIONS
Survival rates were low for base of tongue SCC, with most deaths occurring within the first 2 years. Income, stage, and age were significant prognostic factors. In this nonrandomized series, surgery with radiation therapy offered patients with advanced-stage disease the best survival.
Department of Radiation Oncology and Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 987521 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-7521, USA.
Weining
W
Zhen
Lucy H
LH
Karnell
Henry T
HT
Hoffman
Gerry F
GF
Funk
John M
JM
Buatti
Herman R
HR
Menck
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology