Cause-specific mortality in patients with head and neck cancer: Long-term follow-up of a population-based cohort from 1986 to 2012 accounting for competing risks

摘要

Objectives: Recent recommendations for treating head and neck cancer (HNC) patients favor an individualized approach. Expected long-term survival - together with short-term survival - after diagnosis is the primary focus in assessing the treatment modality and follow-up scheme. "Disease-specific" survival up to five years is often used for measuring the prognosis and for assessing treatment methods. However, especially long-term survival is strongly affected by competing causes of death among HNC patients.