Evaluation of the treatment of head and neck cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in the elderly: a survival analysis.

INTRODUCTION: It is unknown whether cervical lymphadenectomy as a treatment for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (cSCCh&n) increases survival in elderly patients. The aim of this study is to determine whether this procedure has an influence on the survival of these patients, and whether the Short-Form Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI-SF) can be used as an alternative to age in the surgeon's estimation of elderly patient mortality.

METHODS: The study population included all patients diagnosed with cSCCh&n consecutively treated between 2006 and 2011. Non-invasive, non-cutaneous carcinomas were excluded. Patients were grouped according to their age (<70, 70-79, 80-89, >90), CCI-SF (<3, ≥3) and presence (N1) or absence (N0) of cervical metastases. The dependent variable was the performance or not of cervical lymphadenectomy. A univariate survival analysis was performed according to the presence of metastases, a bivariate analysis for each of the independent variables according to the received treatment and a multivariate analysis.

RESULTS: 416 cases were included. The mean survival time was greater in the N0 group. For each of the groups based on the presence of metastasis, the differences in the mean survival time according to age and CCI-SF were not significant, regardless of the treatment received. The multivariate analysis showed the influence of age (p=0.0001, OR=1.488, 95%CI=[1.318; 1.679]) and CCI-SF (p=0.001, OR=1.817, 95%CI=[1.257; 2.627]) in the N0 group. In the N1 group only regional treatment has a positive influence on survival (p=0.048, OR=0.15, 95%CI=[0.023; 0.981]).

CONCLUSIONS: CCI-SF and age are good mortality indicators in cSCCh&n N0 patients, but not so in cSCCh&n N1 patients. In cSCCh&n N1 patients, regional treatment has a positive influence on survival. Differences cannot be affirmed in the mean survival time of patients with cSCCh&n, based on the development of metastases and the treatment given. New studies will be necessary.