title: Predictors of stage at presentation and outcomes of head and neck cancers in a university hospital setting.
abstract: To increase early detection of head and neck cancers, it is important that disparities associated with access to care are addressed.
  
  
  
  A total of 351 patients aged 20 to 91 years (58.72 ± 11.70 years) diagnosed with head and neck cancers at a university hospital from 1997 to 2010 were analyzed. Logistic regression assessed the association between clinical stage at presentation and predictors. Cox proportional hazards model assessed the effect of stage at presentation on survival.
  
  
  
  Being African American was associated with increased odds of late stage at presentation (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 2.16; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01-4.59), and those without health insurance were 10.97 times more likely to present at late stage (95% CI = 1.30-92.49). Unmarried patients were 1.6 times at an increased hazard of death (95% CI = 1.12-2.24).
  
  
  
  Disparities, such as race and health insurance status, are important predictors of stage at presentation of patients with head and neck cancer. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E1826-E1832, 2016.
authors.affiliation: Saint Louis University Cancer Center, Saint Louis, Missouri.|Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Saint Louis University, School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri.|Department of Epidemiology, College for Public Health and Social Justice, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: Nosayaba
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Osazuwa-Peters
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Saint Louis University, School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: Kara M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Christopher
authors.affiliation: Saint Louis University, School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: Adnan S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Hussaini
authors.affiliation: Saint Louis University, School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri.|Saint Louis University Center for Outcomes Research, Saint Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: Anit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Behera
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Saint Louis University, School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: Ronald J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Saint Louis University, School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri.|Harvard Medical School, Department of Otolaryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Varvares
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D057210:Delayed Diagnosis; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016017:Odds Ratio; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: head and neck cancer; health insurance status; outcomes; race; stage at presentation