Dr. Katzel on Differences in Therapy Between Men and Women With Head and Neck Cancer

Jed A. Katzel, MD, Hematology, Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center, discusses differences in treatment decisions between men and women with head and neck cancer.

Research presented at the 2018 ASCO Annual Meeting showed that women are more likely to succumb to their head and neck cancer than men, compared with other causes. In an attempt to explain these findings, a logistic regression analysis was used to account for any differences in intensive therapy between the sexes. After controlling for factors including age, smoking history, alcohol history, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and site of the primary cancer, women were found to be less likely to receive intensive chemotherapy and radiation therapy than men.

More men were enrolled in the trial than women, admits Katzel, which he says accurately reflects the higher prevalence of head and neck cancer in men. These findings will undergo further review, chart-by-chart, to better understand why some patients, specifically women elect to receive or to forego intensive therapy, he concludes.