Factors associated with adjuvant treatment delays in patients treated surgically for head and neck cancer

• Published in: Clinical otolaryngology 2024-07, Vol.49 (4), p.445-452
• Main Authors: Sticker, Alan L., Cannon, Sydney T., Russell, Gregory B., Waltonen, Joshua D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: adherence to guidelines; adjuvant therapy delays; Adult; Aged; Cancer; Chemotherapy; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; Female; fragmented care; Head & neck cancer; head and neck cancer; Head and neck carcinoma; Head and Neck Neoplasms - surgery; Head and Neck Neoplasms - therapy; Health care facilities; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Patients; postoperative radiation therapy; Radiation therapy; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Squamous cell carcinoma; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck - radiotherapy; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck - surgery; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck - therapy; Time Factors; Time-to-Treatment; Treatment Delay
• ISSN: 1749-4478; 1749-4486; 1749-4486
• DOI: 10.1111/coa.14164

Objective To determine the patient and treatment characteristics associated with delay in post‐operative radiation therapy (PORT) for patients treated surgically for head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) at our institution. Design Single institution retrospective review. Setting Tertiary care academic medical centre. Participants Patients treated surgically for HNSCC who underwent PORT between 2013 and 2016. Main Outcome Measures and Results One hundred forty patients met inclusion criteria. A majority did not start radiotherapy within 6 weeks. Factors associated with a delayed initiation of PORT included length of stay >8 days, 30‐day readmission, no adjuvant chemotherapy, post‐operative complications and fragmented care. Conclusions A majority of patients did not initiate PORT within the guideline‐recommended 6 weeks. Modifiable risks factors that delay initiation of PORT were identified.