Epidemiological characteristics of a Spanish cohort of patients diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck: distribution of risk factors by tumor location.
OBJECTIVE
Head and neck cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease comprising a large number of tumors located in the cervicofacial area. This study aimed to determine the epidemiological characteristics of squamous-cell carcinomas of the head and neck in the Spanish population, and the distribution of risk factors based on tumor locations.


METHODS
A cohort of 459 patients (75 oral cavity, 167 oro-/hypopharyngeal and 217 laryngeal cancers) recruited in 19 hospitals participating in the Spanish head and neck cancer cooperative group were included over 3 years (2012-2014). Epidemiological parameters and risk factors were obtained from a self-administered questionnaire, and tumor characteristics were obtained from clinical records. Multivariate multinomial logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with tumor location.


RESULTS
Most patients were males (88.4 %), smokers (95 %) and drinkers (76.5 %). Relative to laryngeal cancer, pharyngeal cancer and oral cancer were more common in women than men (OR 3.58, p = 0.003 and 4.33, p = 0.001, respectively); pharyngeal cancer was more associated with rural environment (OR 1.81, p = 0.007) and weekly alcohol intake (10-140 g: OR 2.53, p = 0.012; 141-280 g: OR 2.47, p = 0.023; >280 g: OR 3.20, p = 0.001) and less associated with pack-years of smoking (21-40 packs: OR 0.46, p = 0.045; 41-70 packs: OR 0.43, p = 0.023; ≥71 packs: OR 3.20, p = 0.015).


CONCLUSIONS
The distribution of these tumors differs between the sexes, with a higher proportion of oral cavity and pharyngeal tumors in women than in men. Oro-/hypopharyngeal cancers were more strongly associated with rural areas and with alcohol consumption, although less strongly associated with smoking than laryngeal tumors.
Medical Oncology Service, University Hospital of Salamanca-IBSAL, Paseo de San Vicente 58-182, 37007, Salamanca, Spain.
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Seijas-Tamayo
Medical Oncology Service, University Hospital of Salamanca-IBSAL, Paseo de San Vicente 58-182, 37007, Salamanca, Spain.
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Fernández-Mateos
Medical Oncology Service, University Hospital of Salamanca-IBSAL, Paseo de San Vicente 58-182, 37007, Salamanca, Spain.
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Adansa Klain
Medical Oncology Department, Universitat de Barcelona, IDIBELL, Institut Català d'Oncologia, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
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Mesía
Medical Oncology Service, Hospital Universitario Politécnico La Fe, Valencia, Spain.
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Pastor Borgoñón
Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Costa del Sol, Marbella, Spain.
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Pérez-Ruiz
Medical Oncology Department, Universitat de Barcelona, IDIBELL, Institut Català d'Oncologia, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
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Vázquez Fernández
Medical Oncology Service, Hospital Universitario Politécnico La Fe, Valencia, Spain.
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Salvador Coloma
Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Costa del Sol, Marbella, Spain.
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Rueda Domínguez
Medical Oncology Department, Universitat de Barcelona, IDIBELL, Institut Català d'Oncologia, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
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Taberna
Medical Oncology Unit, Hospital Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, Spain.
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Martínez-Trufero
Medical Oncology Unit, Hospital Parc Tauli, Institut Universitari Fundació Parc Taulí, Sabadell, Spain.
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Bonfill Abella
Medical Oncology Service, Hospital Universitario Lucus Augusti, Lugo, Spain.
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Vázquez Estévez
Cancer and Environmental Epidemiology Unit, National Center for Epidemiology, Carlos III Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain.
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Pollán
Medical Oncology Service, University Hospital of Salamanca-IBSAL, Paseo de San Vicente 58-182, 37007, Salamanca, Spain.
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Del Barco Morillo
Medical Oncology Service, University Hospital of Salamanca-IBSAL, Paseo de San Vicente 58-182, 37007, Salamanca, Spain. jjcruz@usal.es.
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Cruz-Hernández
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck
Epidemiological characteristics; Head and neck cancer; Risk factors; Spain; Squamous cell carcinoma