Table. II.

Definition and values of the indicators evaluating time between diagnosis and treatment, and between treatments.

Indicator code	Description Proportion of patients having an:	No. of eligible pts	Value (%)
S1	Interval between cyto-histological assessment* and surgery as the first treatment ≤ 60 days	665†	90.4
S2	Interval between cyto-histological assessment* and RT as the first treatment ≤ 60 days	357†	86.3
S3	Interval between discharge from primary surgery and postoperative RT ≤ 60 days	302	69.9
S4	Interval between cyto-histological assessment* and CT as the first treatment ≤ 60 days	43†	90.7

*ICD-9 codes. Biopsies: cranial nerves, 04.11, 04.12, 05.11; oral cavity, 24.11, 25.01, 25.02, 27.21-27.24; salivary glands, 26.11, 26.12; pharynx, 28.11, 29.12; larynx, 31.43, 31.45; facial bones, 76.11; soft tissues, 83.21; lymph-nodes, 40.11. Microscopic examination of specimen from: ear, nose, throat, and larynx, 90.3; lymph-nodes, 90.7. Pharyngoscopy: 29.11; Laryngoscopy: 31.42.

^†The eligible patients where those having a procedure of those included in note * in the 180 days before the first treatment, i.e. patients for whom there was no record of a cyto-histological assessment were not included. Also the 9 patients undergoing surgery after adjuvant RT or CT were excluded from the denominator of S1.

Abbreviations: RT = radiotherapy; CT = chemotherapy.