title: Survival outcome of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a nationwide analysis of 13 407 patients in Taiwan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We reported the contemporary survival outcome of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and analysed the factors affecting survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A nationwide population-based study in Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  We identified 13 407 patients with newly diagnosed NPC from 2002 to 2010.
  
  
  METHODS
  The multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was performed to measure the mortality-association risk factor in patients with NPC after adjusting for NPC treatment and socio-demographic characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 1-, 2-, 5- and 8-year overall survival (OS) rates were 89.6%, 80.4%, 65.2% and 56.5%, respectively. The factors associated with mortality risk were sex (men versus women, HR  =  1.45), age (>60 versus ≤ 40 years, HR  =  3.61), geographic region of residence (eastern Taiwan versus northern Taiwan HR   =   1.39), income (<15 840 versus >25  000, HR   =   1.87) and treatment modality (chemotherapy alone versus radiotherapy alone, HR   =   2.25).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The contemporary 5-year OS rate was 65.2% in Taiwan. Male patients, old age, residing in eastern Taiwan, low income and receiving chemotherapy alone were independent predictors for poor OS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.|Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: W-Y
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Management Office for Health Data, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.|College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: C-L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Linkou, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: C-Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Y-M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Jen
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: C-H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.affiliation: Management Office for Health Data, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.|Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University College of Medicine, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: F-C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University College of Medicine, Taichung, Taiwan.|Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: C-H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology