Community Cancer Centers Treating More HPV-Related Head, Neck Cancer

THURSDAY, Jan. 11, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Treatment of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma has recently shifted to community cancer centers, with an increase in the proportion of nonsurgical treatment and worse overall survival versus patients treated at academic cancer centers, according to a study published online Jan. 3 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Danielle R. Trakimas, M.D., from Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, and colleagues used the U.S. National Cancer Database to identify 20,298 patients with a diagnosis of HPV-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (2010 to 2019) who underwent treatment at a community cancer center or academic cancer center.

The researchers found that the proportion of patients treated at community cancer centers significantly increased by 10 percent during the study period. Concurrently, the proportion of patients undergoing primary nonsurgical treatment increased from 62.1 to 73.7 percent, with nonsurgical treatment significantly more likely for patients treated at community cancer centers versus academic cancer centers (adjusted odds ratio [aHR], 1.20). Worse survival was seen among patients treated at community cancer centers (aHR, 1.19), particularly for patients receiving primary nonsurgical treatment (aHR, 1.22).

"Given these findings, additional resources should be directed toward identifying patients who may benefit from surgical treatment and toward ensuring equal access to all available treatment modalities for optimal patient autonomy and outcomes," the authors write.

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