Evaluation of Prognostic Factors and Survival Results in Geriatric Patients with Head and Neck Cancer

OBJECTIVE Length of life is gradually increasing along with the incidence of cancer in the elderly. Herein, we aimed to evaluate radiotherapy (RT) and chemoradiotherapy (CRT), surgical treatment (ST) results, clinicopathological features, and survival factors in patients >= 65-years-old with head-and-neck cancer. METHODS We evaluated patients aged >= 65 years with head-and-neck cancer who were treated in radiation oncology clinics in the Eastern Black Sea region of Turkey. After receiving the approval of the Ethics Committee, demographic, clinical, and histopathological data of the patients were obtained by reviewing their files and records. RESULTS Of 179 patients with head-and-neck cancer, 59 (33%) were geriatric patients. Thirty-three patients were treated only with RT, 24 with C. and two with ST. The total RT dose ranged from 66 to 70 Gy, and 40 mg/m(2) cisplatin could be weekly administered. While 50.8% of the patients had laryngeal cancer, 22% had oral cavity cancer. The mean follow-up period was 29.3 months; median overall survival (OS) was 27.5 months; 2- and 5-year OS were 56.6% and 32.2%, respectively; median progression-free survival was 25.4 months. When prognostic factors that could affect general survival were analyzed in a univariate analysis, sex status (p=0.019) was found statistically significant. The most common side effect was Grade 3 mucositis (30%). CONCLUSION Treatment modalities to be selected in elderly patients with head-and-neck cancer should be evaluated based on the performance status and not age. Elderly patients with no additional comorbidity can be treated with RT and/or CRT in a similar to that done in young patients.