Prognosis in elderly head and neck cancer patients without indication for treatment

Aim With an aging population, the number of older patients with head and neck malignancies is increasing. Some patients are not indicated for treatment because of their social condition or medical history. Prognostic data for patients with untreated head and neck elderly malignancies are scarce, making planning difficult. This study retrospectively examined older patients with oral malignancy who were ineligible for treatment and evaluated their prognostic factors. Methods Of 658 patients with oral malignancies who visited the Saitama Cancer Center, those aged >75 years who were ineligible for curative treatment (chemotherapy or palliative treatment) were included. Patients who had been treated at other hospitals or had undergone palliative treatment, including radiotherapy, were excluded. Progress since the first visit was retrospectively collected based on data from electronic medical records. Results Forty‐six patients were included in the study. The 12‐month survival rate was 10.6%, and the median overall survival was 6.0 months. The primary site was the maxillary gingiva (including the palate) in the largest number of patients ( n = 15), and the disease stage was Stage III‐IV in the largest number of patients ( n = 30). Although imaging evaluation was difficult in some patients because of their general condition, evaluating the primary site was predominantly associated with prognosis. Conclusion Overall, 8% of patients were deemed ineligible for treatment. The median overall survival was 6.0 months. We suggest that the evaluation of primary oral tumors may have prognostic significance.