Evaluation of co-morbidity indices in patients admitted for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Background. There is limited and conflicting information on the use of co-morbidity instruments to predict mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods. We sought to test the validity of the Charlson Index and another co-morbidity instrument, the Adult co-morbidity evaluation 27 (ACE-27), in patients admitted with COPD exacerbations. Co-morbidity scores were obtained by chart review. Information on mortality was retrieved from the Social Security Death Index. We examined the predictive validity of the Charlson and the ACE- 27 using survival analysis. Results. There were 112 patients eligible for the study. The ACE-27 but not the Charlson predicted survival, after adjusting for age, gender, and smoking history in Cox regression, hazard ratio (95% CI) of 1.99 (1.17-3.39). Conclusions. This study confirms earlier findings that the Charlson Index is not a reliable predictor of mortality in patients with COPD. However, the ACE-27 appears to be useful for predicting survival in this study

CONDITIONAL RELATIVE SURVIVAL IN HEAD AND NECK SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA: PERMANENT EXCESS MORTALITY RISK FOR LONG-TERM SURVIVORS

Background. Dynamic predictions on head and neck cancer survival could offer, besides improved patient counseling, insight into long-term effects of tumor- and patient-based characteristics on survival. Theoretically, there could be a certain time period after diagnosis after which the patient returns to a population risk on survival. Methods. In all, 7255 patients with a primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) aged 25 to 90 years, diagnosed between January 1980 and January 2004 in The Netherlands, were included. Conditional 5-year relative survival for every additional year survived was computed. Results. The overall conditional relative prognosis reached a plateau after approximately 4 years; a permanent 20% to 25% excess mortality for long-term HNSCC survivors remained. Conclusions. Conditional 5-year relative survival for patients with HNSCC remains poorer compared to age- and sex-matched counterparts in the general population, even when alive at 15 years after diagnosis. We assume that this is caused by an excess comorbidity in these patients, mainly due to smoking and alcohol abuse. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 32: 1613-1618, 201

CONDITIONAL RELATIVE SURVIVAL IN HEAD AND NECK SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA: PERMANENT EXCESS MORTALITY RISK FOR LONG-TERM SURVIVORS

Background. Dynamic predictions on head and neck cancer survival could offer, besides improved patient counseling, insight into long-term effects of tumor- and patient-based characteristics on survival. Theoretically, there could be a certain time period after diagnosis after which the patient returns to a population risk on survival. Methods. In all, 7255 patients with a primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) aged 25 to 90 years, diagnosed between January 1980 and January 2004 in The Netherlands, were included. Conditional 5-year relative survival for every additional year survived was computed. Results. The overall conditional relative prognosis reached a plateau after approximately 4 years; a permanent 20% to 25% excess mortality for long-term HNSCC survivors remained. Conclusions. Conditional 5-year relative survival for patients with HNSCC remains poorer compared to age- and sex-matched counterparts in the general population, even when alive at 15 years after diagnosis. We assume that this is caused by an excess comorbidity in these patients, mainly due to smoking and alcohol abuse. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 32: 1613-1618, 2010Otorhinolaryngolog

Future of the TNM classification and staging system in head and neck cancer.

Item does not contain fulltextStaging systems for cancer, including the most universally used TNM classification system, have been based almost exclusively on anatomic information. However, the question arises whether staging systems should be based on this information alone. Other parameters have been identified that should be considered for inclusion in classification systems like the TNM. This is all the more important, as a shift toward nonsurgical treatments for head and neck cancer has been made over the years. For these treatment modalities tumor/biologic characteristics next to anatomic information may be particularly important for treatment choice and outcome. The shortcomings of the current TNM classification system will be discussed, along with suggestions for improvement and expansion of the TNM system based on tumor, patient, and environment-related factors. Further improvement of the TNM classification is expected to result in better treatment choices, outcome and prognostication of patients with head and neck cancer.1 december 201