Prognostic factors in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: comparison of CHAID decision trees technology and Cox analysis.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to compare the risk factors obtained from a classical statistical method (Cox proportional hazards model) and the results obtained with classification trees (Chi-square Automatic Interaction Detection [CHAID] model) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).


METHODS
We conducted a retrospective study of 3373 patients with HNSCC and a follow-up longer than 2 years.


RESULTS
The most decisive variable classified by CHAID was T category. N classification was an important prognostic factor in the Cox analysis, but this was not considered in CHAID except in T2 and supraglottic T3. CHAID also indicated that women with oral cavity T3/T4 to N0 tumors had poorer prognosis (28%) than men (58.5%; p value < .001). In oropharynx location, men had lower survival than women (41% vs 72%; p value < .001).


CONCLUSIONS
The main benefit of CHAID analysis is that it identifies a relatively small number of patients with a singular behavior, which is more discriminatory for an optimal diagnosis and treatment.
Otorhinolaryngology Head-Neck Surgery Department, Hospital Universitari de Tarragona Joan XXIII, Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain. fxavilesj@gmail.com
Francesc Xavier
FX
Avilés-Jurado
Xavier
X
León
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D003663:Decision Trees; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors