title: Cohort study of oncologic emergencies in patients with head and neck cancer.
abstract: Treatments for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are associated with toxicities that lead to emergency department presentation.
  
  
  
  We utilized data from an ongoing prospective cohort of newly diagnosed, previously untreated patients (N = 298) with HNSCC to evaluate the association between clinical and epidemiologic factors and risk for and frequency of emergency department presentation. Time to event was calculated from the date of treatment initiation to emergency department presentation, date of death, or current date. Frequency of emergency department presentation was the sum of emergency department visits during the follow-up time.
  
  
  
  History of hypertension, normal/underweight body mass index (BMI), and probable depression predicted increased risk for emergency department presentation. BMI and severe pain were associated with higher frequency of emergency department presentations.
  
  
  
  Clinical and epidemiologic factors can help predict patients with HNSCC who will present to the emergency department. Such knowledge may improve treatment-related patient outcomes and quality of life. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 39: 1195-1204, 2017.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Cielito C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Reyes-Gibby
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Stephanie C
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2867-7107
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Melkonian
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Ehab Y
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3241-2440
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Hanna
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Sai-Ching J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Yeung
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Chambers
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Srinivas R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Banala
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Gary B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Gunn
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.|Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Sanjay S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Shete
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004630:Emergencies / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004638:Emergency Treatment / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; D015996:Survival Rate
keywords: chief complaints; cohort study; emergency department; head and neck cancer; treatment toxicity