title: A Contemporary Analysis of Surgical Trends in the Treatment of Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oropharynx from 1998 to 2012: A Report from the National Cancer Database.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study examined surgical trends for oropharynx squamous cell carcinoma (OPC) from 1998 to 2012, with a post-2009 focus coinciding with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of transoral robotic surgery (TORS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the National Cancer Data Base, the study analyzed 84,449 patients with stage I-IVB OPC. χ (2) tests and logistic regression models were used to examine surgical trends.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The use of surgery decreased from 41.4 % in 1998 to 30.4 % in 2009 (p < 0.001). The surgical trends reversed and in 2012 increased to 34.8 % (p < 0.001). There was much variation in surgery in 2012 between American Joint Committee on Cancer stages, with 80.2 % of stage I patients receiving surgery compared with 54.0 % of stage II patients, 36.8 % of stage III patients, and 28.5 % of stage IV patients (p < 0.001). Black patients with high socioeconomic status (SES) showed lower use of surgery (25.3 %) compared to low SES white (32.3 %) and low SES Hispanic patients (27.3 %) (p < 0.001). The highest surgical rates were noted in the West North Central region and lowest rates were observed in the New England and South Atlantic regions. Between 2009 and 2012, independent predictors of surgical treatment included young age, female gender, white or Hispanic race, high SES, private insurance, academic hospitals, hospitals in the West North Central region, residence more than 75 miles from the hospital, increasing comorbidities, stage I disease, and tonsil origin (all p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since FDA approval of TORS in 2009, surgical rates have increased with multiple socioeconomic and regional factors affecting patient selection. This study provides a basis for further investigation into factors involved in decision making for OPC patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Liederbach
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Carol M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL, USA.|Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Katharine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.|Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Bruce E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Brockstein
authors.affiliation: Center for Biomedical Research Informatics, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanstion, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Chi-Hsiung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Waseem
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lutfi
authors.affiliation: Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. mbhayani@northshore.org.|Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, NorthShore University Health System, Evanston, IL, USA. mbhayani@northshore.org.
authors.forename: Mihir K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Bhayani
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D010611:Pharyngectomy / Q000401:mortality*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult