Proportion, Five‐Year Survival Rate of Laryngeal Cancer and Its Associated Factors Among Head and Neck Cancer Patients in Tanzania

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background Laryngeal cancer carries a significant global burden, with substantial morbidity and mortality, and is increasing globally, with 95%–98% being squamous cell carcinoma. Males are more affected than females, with peak cases occurring between 60 and 80 years of age. A five‐year survival rate is poor for this disease as most of the patients are in the advanced stage of disease at the time of diagnosis. Purpose To determine the proportion, five‐year survival rate of laryngeal cancer and its associated factors among head and neck cancer patients in Tanzania. Method This study was a multicenter retrospective cohort study of patients with laryngeal cancer treated at three major treatment centers in Tanzania from January 2015 to December 2019. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to determine the survival rate, and log‐rank tests were used to compare the survival curve among different subgroups. The Cox's regression model for multivariable survival analysis was used to identify and quantify the impacts of associated factors on survival. Results A total of 289 patients with laryngeal cancer were enrolled in the study, male being 251 (86.85%) and female 38 (13.15%). The proportion of laryngeal cancer among head and neck cancers is 31.38%, with the five‐year survival rate of 41.1%. The factors that were significantly associated with survival rate were cancer stage, age, place of residence, treatment completion, and treatment modality. Conclusion Early‐stage laryngeal cancer is associated with significantly improved survival outcomes; this study has shown good prognosis for those with early‐stage disease compared to advanced stages.