A multivariate analysis of determinants of survival for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

The prognosis for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck remains poor, despite refinements in conventional therapy and experimental protocols using alternative treatment modalities. Clinical characteristics reported to influence survival have included age and sex of the patient, the therapy used, location of the primary tumor, and stage at initial presentation. However, such variables are highly correlated, and previous reports have lacked sufficient statistical analysis to assess the independent influence of these competing variables on survival. To better define the principal determinants of survival, we used a Cox multivariate regression analysis of 542 patients with invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck treated exclusively at our institution from 1962 to 1976. All patients were followed for a minimum of 5 years after diagnosis, with 98% complete follow-up achieved. Stage at initial presentation was the single-most important factor influencing survival for all tumor locations (p less than 0.0001). Advanced age (p = 0.001) and location of the primary tumor in the tonsillar area (p = 0.01) were also independently associated with an inferior survival. The type of therapy used and sex of the patient did not significantly influence survival after controlling for stage. These data emphasize the need for early diagnosis and treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck and underscore the limitations of current therapeutic approaches. Future investigations should incorporate multivariate statistical techniques whenever possible, and additional efforts must be directed at basic research into the biology and immunologic characteristics of these tumors in an attempt to identify innovative therapeutic modalities.