Predictive value of comorbidity and anemia on outcome in patients with sinonasal carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the influence of comorbidities and anemia on outcome and survival in patients with sinonasal carcinomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Review of medical records of 121 patients with carcinoma treated at a single quaternary medical care and cancer center between 2002 and 2015. Comorbidities were classified according to the age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index (ACCI) scoring system. RESULTS: 71 patients were male, 50 were female. Median age was 65 years, and the median interval between tumor diagnosis and date of study inclusion was 71 months. The most common histological subtype was squamous cell carcinoma (n = 64). The median ACCI score was 2 and the most frequent ACCI score was 0 (n = 26). Mean overall survival was 52.2 months (ACCI 0-2) and 39.5 months (ACCI ≥ 3), respectively (p < 0.0001). Mean disease-free survival was 52.9 months (ACCI 0-2) and 45.5 months (ACCI ≥ 3), respectively (p = 0.026). Mean overall survival in patients without anemia was 49.5 months, compared with 39.8 months in patients with anemia (p = 0.043). CONCLUSION: Comorbidity is an independent risk factor on overall, disease-free and disease-specific survival in patients with sinonasal carcinoma. Anemia is associated with shorter overall survival. This is the first study evaluating comorbidity using the ACCI scoring system and focusing on patients with sinonasal carcinoma.

Health-related quality of life in patients with major salivary gland carcinoma.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the health-related quality of life (QOL) in patients with major salivary gland carcinoma (MSGC). METHODS: 45 patients with MSGC completed the University of Washington Quality of Life (UWQOL) questionnaire. Results and factors influencing quality of life were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: 24 patients were male, 21 patients were female, and median age was 57 years. 33 patients presented with early stage (UICC stage I or II) cancer. All patients had surgery as initial therapy. The UWQOL domains with the worst results were 'appearance', 'activity' and 'anxiety'. Factors influencing QOL were sex, tumor stage, comorbidities, follow-up time, tumor grade, postoperative radiation therapy and facial nerve dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: Diagnosis and treatment of MSGC has influence on overall QOL. Postoperative radiation has the greatest impact on QOL. This is one of the largest study evaluating QOL in patients with salivary gland carcinoma using the UWQOL.

Prognostic value of comorbidities in patients with carcinoma of the major salivary glands.

This study aimed at evaluating the influence of comorbidities on outcome and survival in patients with carcinoma of the major salivary glands. Medical records of 109 patients with carcinoma of the major salivary glands treated at a single quaternary medical care and cancer center between 2003 and 2015 were reviewed. Comorbidities were classified according to the Age-Adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index (ACCI) scoring system. 59 patients were males, 50 were females. Median age was 69 years and the median interval between tumor diagnosis and date of study inclusion was 71 months. Most carcinoma arose in the parotid gland (90 patients), and most patients presented with T 1 (25) or T 2 (37) cancer. Mean ACCI score was 2.9, and the most frequent ACCI score was 4. Mean overall survival was 119 months (ACCI 0-3) and 55 months (ACCI score >4), respectively (p = 0.005). Mean disease-free survival (ACCI 0-3) was 110 and 58 months (ACCI > 4), respectively (p = 0.02). Survival was significantly improved in low grade tumors, lower T and UICC stage and lymph node-negative patients. Sex, age, history of smoking and resection margins had no influence on overall survival. High comorbidity is an independent risk factor on overall and disease-free survival in patients with major salivary gland carcinoma. This is the first study evaluating comorbidity using the ACCI scoring system in this group of patients.