AUTHOR=Pratson Connor L. , Larkins Michael C. , Karimian Brandon H. , Curtis Caitrin M. , Lepera Pamela A. , Brodish Brian N. , Ju Andrew W. 

TITLE=The Impact of Smoking, Alcohol Use, Recurrent Disease, and Age on the Development of Neck Fibrosis in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Following Radiation Therapy

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2021.707418

DOI=10.3389/fonc.2021.707418

ISSN=2234-943X

ABSTRACT=<p>There is a paucity of information regarding the demographic factors associated with the development of neck fibrosis in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients following radiotherapy. A retrospective review of all patients being treated for HNC at a tertiary care center between 2013 and 2017 was performed. Chi-squared and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to identify differences in incidence and grade of fibrosis, respectively, between populations. A total of 90 patients aged 19 to 99 years were included. Factors associated with an increased incidence of fibrosis included smoking during radiotherapy (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001), alcohol use (<italic>p</italic> = 0.026), recurrent disease (<italic>p</italic> = 0.042), and age less than 60 (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001) on univariate analysis. Factors associated with increased grade of fibrosis in HNC patients included recurrent HNC (<italic>p</italic> = 0.033), alcohol use (<italic>p</italic> = 0.013), patient age younger than 60 years (<italic>p</italic> = 0.018), smoking during radiotherapy (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001), and non-Caucasian race (<italic>p =</italic> 0.012). Identification and intervention directed at patients that possess risk factors associated with fibrosis prior to treatment has the potential to improve the long-term quality of life for HNC patients.</p>