Laryngeal cancer is a type of cancer malignant cells form in the tissues of the larynx. It is most commonly caused by excessive use of tobacco products or drinking too much alcohol. The objective of this study is to examine the association between US geospatial factors and treatment selection for patients with laryngeal cancer.
This retrospective cohort study included a total of 21,289 patients diagnosed with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). The county of residence was considered. The primary outcome of the study was adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for surgical treatment generated using multivariable, hierarchical models.
The findings suggested that most counties did not have any otolaryngologist or radiation oncologist. Among counties with at least 10 cases, surgery rates varied from 7.1% to 85.7%. After controlling the oncologic variables, factors that were independently associated with surgical treatment included patient age and marital status but not physician number. The top 5% of counties that were most likely to provide surgery were all large metropolitan areas and treated a large number of patients.
The research concluded that sociodemographic factors are major contributors to a wide variety of surgical treatment practices by country, with large countries being more likely to provide surgical treatment.
Ref: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaotolaryngology/article-abstract/2779268?resultClick=1
