TABLE I.

Demographics and clinical characteristics of the 109 study patients^a

Characteristic	Value
Dx to data capture (days)
Median	244
IQR	124–656
Age (years)
Median	63
IQRb	57–68
Age group [n (%)]
≤70 Years	92 (84)
>70 Years	17 (16)
Sex [n (%) men]	78 (72)
Region [n (%)]
Ontario	33 (30)
Quebec	32 (29)
Alberta	19 (17)
Other	25 (23)
Diagnosing physician [n (%)]
Medical oncologist	24 (22)
Radiation oncologist	8 (7)
HN or ENT surgeon	60 (55)
Pathologist	2 (2)
Primary care physician	12 (11)
Other specialist (unspecified)	2 (2)
Not reported	1 (1)
Health insurance type [n (%)]
Provincial or territorial plan	82 (75)
Employer-sponsored plan	18 (17)
Private plan	5 (5)
None, other, or unknown	4 (4)
Smoking status [n (%)]
Current	26 (24)
Former	72 (66)
Never	11 (10)
Cigarettes per dayc [n (%)]
<20	11 (42)
≥20	12 (46)
Don’t know	3 (12)
Exposure (mean pack–years)	26.2±12.7
Primary site [n (%)]
Oropharynx	52 (48)
Oral cavity (including tongue)	30 (28)
Hypopharynx	11 (10)
Larynx	8 (7)
Lip	4 (4)
Not reported	4 (4)
Tumour status at diagnosis [n (%)]
Resectable	33 (30)
Non-resectable or not eligible for resection	76 (70)
Disease stage at Dx [n (%)]
I	11 (10)
II	26 (24)
III	32 (29)
IVAd	18 (17)
IVBe	10 (9)
IVCf	9 (8)
Not assessed	1 (1)
Disease stage at data capture [n (%)]
I	3 (3)
II	19 (17)
III	14 (13)
IVAd	33 (30)
IVBe	14 (13)
IVCf	25 (23)
Not assessed	1 (1)
ECOG PS [n (%)]
0	8 (7)
1	62 (57)
≥2	36 (33)
Not assessed	3 (3)
HPV p16 status [n (%)]
Not tested	36 (33)
Tested	73 (67)
Positiveg	33 (45)
Negativeg	37 (51)
Inconclusiveg	3 (4)

^aAt point of data capture unless otherwise specified.

^bTwo patients reported to be 90 or more years of age were assigned an age of 90 years.

^cFor current smokers.

^dModerately advanced locoregional disease.

^eVery advanced locoregional disease.

^fDistant metastatic disease.

^gOf those tested.

Dx = diagnosis; IQR = interquartile range; HN = head-and-neck; ENT = ear, nose and throat; ECOG PS = Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status; HPV = human papillomavirus.