Factors associated with complex oral treatment device usage in patients with head and neck cancer.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

The objective was to identify clinical and epidemiological factors associated with utilization of a complex oral treatment device (COTD), which may decrease toxicity in patients undergoing radiation therapy for head and neck cancer (HNC).

Materials and methods

We retrospectively reviewed data from 1992 to 2013 in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare databases to analyze COTD usage during intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for patients diagnosed with cancer of the tongue, floor of mouth, nasopharynx, tonsil, or oropharynx. Patients with a radiation simulation and complex treatment device code within 4 weeks before the first IMRT claim were identified as meeting COTD usage criteria. Demographic, regional, tumor, and treatment data w

SUBMITTER: Palasi S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8365308 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature