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) |