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Aspiration pneumonia related deaths in head and neck cancer patients: a retrospective analysis of risk factors from a tertiary care centre in North India

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 June 2015

R Madan ,
A K Kairo ,
A Sharma ,
S Roy ,
S Singh ,
L Singh ,
J Kaur ,
B K Mohanti ,
S Bhasker  and
A D Upadhyay
...Show all authors
R Madan*
Affiliation:
Department of Radiation Oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
A K Kairo
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
A Sharma
Affiliation:
Department of Radiation Oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
S Roy
Affiliation:
Department of Radiation Oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
S Singh
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
L Singh
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
J Kaur
Affiliation:
Department of Radiation Oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
B K Mohanti
Affiliation:
Department of Radiation Oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
S Bhasker
Affiliation:
Department of Radiation Oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
A D Upadhyay
Affiliation:
Department of Biostatistics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
G K Rath
Affiliation:
Department of Radiation Oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
*
Address for correspondence: Dr R Madan, Department of Radiotherapy, R. No. 29, Ground floor, Dr BRA, IRCH, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi-110029, India E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Background:

Aspiration pneumonia is an important cause of death in head and neck cancer patients. This study therefore aimed to evaluate the risk factors associated with aspiration pneumonia in head and neck cancer patients.

Methods:

Hospital death records from 12 years (2000–2012) were reviewed to obtain the number of deaths. Treatment details and cause of death were analysed. Statistical analysis was performed to identify the risk factors for aspiration pneumonia.

Results:

The records revealed that aspiration pneumonia was the cause of death in 51 out of 85 patients. Primary tumour site (oropharynx and hypopharynx, odds ratio 3.3; 95 per cent confidence interval 1.17–9.4, p = 0.02) and advanced tumour stage (odds ratio 4.2, 95 per cent confidence interval 1.16–15.61, p = 0.02) had significant negative impacts on aspiration pneumonia related mortality.

Conclusion:

Advanced pharyngeal cancer patients are at an increased risk of aspiration pneumonia related death. Investigations for the early detection of this condition are recommended in these high-risk patients.

Keywords

Head and Neck CancerChemoradiotherapyAspiration PneumoniaDeathIndia
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 129 , Issue 7 , July 2015 , pp. 710 - 714
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2015 

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Footnotes

Presented as an oral presentation at the 1st Indian Cancer Congress, 21–24 November 2013, New Delhi, India

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