Table 1.
Baseline characteristics stratified by the presence of matted nodes.
| Characteristics | No. of patients with matted nodes (16) |
No. of patients with nonmatted nodes (62) |
p value* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, mean (SD) | 58.4 (9.2) | 58.5 (8.4) | .97 |
| Subsite | .83 | ||
| BOT | 44% (7) | 48% (30) | |
| Tonsil | 56% (9) | 50% (31) | |
| Postpharyngeal wall | 0% (0) | 2% (1) | |
| Overall stage | .11 | ||
| III | 0% (0) | 18% (11) | |
| IV | 100% (16) | 82% (51) | |
| T classification | .002 | ||
| T1 | 0% (0) | 10% (6) | |
| T2 | 25% (4) | 39% (24) | |
| T3 | 0% (0) | 24% (15) | |
| T4 | 75% (12) | 27% (17) | |
| N classification | .02† | ||
| N0 | 0% (0) | 11% (7) | |
| N1 | 0% (0) | 13% (8) | |
| N2a | 0% (0) | 10% (6) | |
| N2b | 38% (6) | 37% (23) | |
| N2c | 31% (5) | 22% (13) | |
| N3 | 31% (5) | 8% (5) | |
| HPV status | .05 | ||
| Positive | 63% (10) | 82% (51) | |
| Negative | 31% (5) | 11% (7) | |
| Missing | 6% (1) | 7% (4) | |
| EGFR status | .1 | ||
| Positive | 31% (5) | 58% (36) | |
| Negative | 38% (6) | 27% (17) | |
| Missing | 31% (5) | 15% (9) | |
| Tobacco status | .18 | ||
| Never | 12% (2) | 27% (17) | |
| Prior | 44% (7) | 53% (33) | |
| Current | 44% (7) | 20% (12) |
Abbreviations: BOT, base of tongue; HPV, human papillomavirus; EGFR, epidermal growth factor receptor.
*
The p value tests association with matted node category for each variable. Fisher exact test is used for dichotomous variables. Likelihood ratio chi-square test with Monte Carlo estimation of errors is used for variables with more than 2 levels. Missing values are excluded.
†
We expect this difference to be present since matted nodes are defined by characteristics present only in N2b or worse patients.