title: Survival rates of patients with cancer of the lip, mouth and pharynx: a cohort study of 10 years.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cancer of the lip, mouth and pharynx is a serious health problem. High incidence rates are found worldwide. In Brazil, the Southern and Southeastern regions have the highest incidences in the country.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe 5 and 10-year survival rates in patients with cancer of the lip, mouth and pharynx at a referral center in Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study using data from patients diagnosed between January 1st and December 31st, 2001, with follow-up until December 31st, 2011. Descriptive analysis was performed and survival was estimated by Kaplan-Meier method. Cox semi-parametric model was used to estimate death risk.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Survival rates at 5 and 10 years were 33.3 and 26.9%, respectively. Advanced clinical stage in the diagnosis increased death risk by 2.88 and 2.51, respectively. Sex, ethnicity, level of education, previous diagnosis and treatment, as well as age, did not show significant association.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Survival rate at 5 years was 33.3% and, at 10 years, was 26.9%. Advanced stage was an independent risk factor for death due to cancer of the lip, mouth and pharynx in both periods analyzed.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brasil.
authors.forename: Ione Jayce Ceola
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Palhoça, SC, Brasil.
authors.forename: Mayara Eloisa
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Flores
authors.affiliation: Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina, Tubarão, SC, Brasil.
authors.forename: Daniela Alba
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Nickel
authors.affiliation: Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina, Tubarão, SC, Brasil.
authors.forename: Luiz Gustavo Teixeira
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Palhoça, SC, Brasil.
authors.forename: Jefferson
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Traebert
mesh_terms: D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008048:Lip Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality*; D010610:Pharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors