title: The Charlson comorbidity index is a prognostic factor in sinonasal tract squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  High Charlson comorbidity index values have been reported to be associated with shorter overall survival in various types of cancer. We investigated whether Charlson comorbidity index values were correlated with overall survival in patients with resectable sinonasal tract squamous cell carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-nine patients with resectable sinonasal tract squamous cell carcinoma were treated with curative intent. The Charlson comorbidity index values were calculated by the summation of the weight scores of 19 medical conditions (other than sinonasal tract squamous cell carcinoma) before treatment. The survival rate was analyzed according to the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were performed using the Wilcoxon test and the Cox proportional hazards model, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to a univariate analysis, a Charlson comorbidity index value ≥6 was found to be significantly correlated with shorter overall survival (P < 0.02). In the multivariate survival analysis with adjustment for the clinical T and N classification, age, sex, anatomical location, treatment group (radiotherapy/surgery) and chemotherapy (presence/absence), a Charlson comorbidity index value ≥6 was found to be associated with the significantly shorter overall survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that the Charlson comorbidity index functions as a prognostic factor in cases of resectable sinonasal tract squamous cell carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya hi.suzuki@aichi-cc.jp.
authors.forename: Hidenori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya.
authors.forename: Nobuhiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hanai
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya.
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya.
authors.forename: Yujiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya.
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Koide
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kodaira
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tachibana
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Natsuo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tomita
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Chiyoko
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Makita
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya.
authors.forename: Yasuhisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010255:Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; D015996:Survival Rate
keywords: Charlson comorbidity index; overall survival; prognostic factor; sinonasal tract; squamous cell carcinoma