Table 1 Patients’ characteristics
Background | n (%) |
|---|---|
Age | |
  < 70 years | 275 (74) |
  ≥ 70 years | 99 (26) |
Gender | |
 Male | 322 (86) |
 Female | 52 (14) |
ECOG performance status | |
 0 | 234 (63) |
 1 | 121 (32) |
 2 | 16 (4) |
 3 | 3 (1) |
Body mass index | |
  < 20 | 97 (26) |
  ≥ 20 | 277 (74) |
Primary site | |
 Larynx | 57 (15) |
 Nasopharynx | 48 (13) |
 Hypopharynx | 132 (34) |
 Nasal sinus | 21 (6) |
 Oropharynx | 101 (27) |
 Oral cavity | 14 (4) |
 Ear canal | 1 (1) |
T-classification | |
 1 | 32 (9) |
 2 | 136 (36) |
 3 | 86 (23) |
 4a | 92 (25) |
 4b | 28 (7) |
N-classification | |
 0 | 76 (20) |
 1 | 54 (15) |
 2a | 19 (5) |
 2b | 134 (36) |
 2c | 75 (20) |
 3 | 16 (4) |
Tumor histology | |
 SCC | 347 (93) |
 Others | 27 (7) |
Brinkman index | |
  < 500 | 131 (35) |
  ≥ 500 | 243 (65) |
Habitual alcoholic consumption | |
 Yes | 221 (59) |
 No | 153 (41) |
Use of ACEi or ARB | |
 Yes | 69 (18) |
 No | 305 (82) |
Use of PPI or H2 blocker | |
 Yes | 198 (53) |
 No | 176 (47) |
Oral hygiene before treatment | |
 Good | 179 (48) |
 Poor | 183 (52) |
Coexistence of other malignancies | |
 Yes | 45 (12) |
 No | 329 (88) |
Charlson comorbidity index | |
 0–1 | 293 (78) |
  ≥ 2 | 81 (22) |
Serum albumin before treatment | |
 Within normal limits | 313 (84) |
 Less than normal range | 61 (16) |
Hemoglobin before treatment | |
 Within normal limits | 265 (71) |
 Less than normal range | 109 (29) |
Use of sleeping pills before treatment? | |
 Yes | 185 (49) |
 No | 189 (51) |
Induction chemotherapy | |
 Yes | 97 (26) |
 No | 277 (74) |
Concurrent chemotherapy regimen | |
 CDDP-based | 278 (74) |
 CBDCA-based | 64 (17) |
 Cetuximab | 32 (9) |
Radiation technique | |
 Conventional 3D-CRT | 253 (68) |
 IMRT | 121 (32) |
Radiation dose, Gy | |
 70Gy | 363 (97) |
 60-70Gy | 3 (1) |
  < 60Gy | 8 (2) |
Irradiation field | |
 Local | 67 (18) |
 Whole neck | 307 (82) |
Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy prior to treatment | |
 Yes | 229 (61) |
 No | 155 (39) |
Treatment | |
 Inpatient | 185 (49) |
 Outpatient | 189 (51) |