Oropharyngeal lymphoma: A US population based analysis

Hani M Rayess; Michael Nissan; Amar Gupta; Michael A Carron; S Naweed Raza; Andrew M Fribley

doi:10.1016/j.oraloncology.2017.08.018

Oropharyngeal lymphoma: A US population based analysis

Oral Oncol. 2017 Oct:73:147-151. doi: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2017.08.018. Epub 2017 Sep 5.

Authors

Hani M Rayess¹, Michael Nissan², Amar Gupta², Michael A Carron³, S Naweed Raza⁴, Andrew M Fribley⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA. Electronic address: hrayess@wayne.edu.
² Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA.
³ Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA; Division of Facial Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, USA.
⁴ Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA; Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI, USA.
⁵ Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA; Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI, USA; Carman and Ann Adams Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA; Molecular Therapeutics Program, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI, USA.

PMID: 28939067
DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2017.08.018

Abstract

Objectives: To describe the epidemiology and analyze factors determinant of survival in patients with oropharyngeal lymphoma, using the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database.

Methods: 2504 patients with oropharyngeal lymphoma were identified using the most recent SEER database entry from 1976 to 2016. Demographic information, Ann Arbor stage, tumor histopathology and location were collected. Multivariate analysis was used to analyze patient and tumor characteristics associated with survival.

Results: The mean age of the patients studied was 60.5years, 58.4% of the subjects were male and 81% were white. Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) was the most common histologic subtype involving 56.9% of cases. The most common subsite of origin was the tonsil, with 71% of lymphomas originating from there. The association of survival with stage, age, tumor location, presence of B symptoms, tumor pathology, gender and race was analyzed using multivariate regression. Decreased survival was significantly associated with patient age p<0.0001, Ann Arbor staging p=0.005, the presence of B symptoms p=0.003 and tumor histopathology (T cell tumors) p=0.01. Patients with tumors originating from the soft palate were significantly more likely to die asa result of their disease p=0.03.

Conclusion: Oropharyngeal lymphoma most commonly originates from the tonsil. DLBCL is the most common subtype and has a good prognosis. The presence of B symptoms, tumors originating from the soft palate and patients with T cell tumors have the worst prognosis. This information can potentially be of great utility to the head and neck surgeon discussing prognosis with patients suffering from oropharyngeal lymphoma.

Keywords: Lymphoma; Oropharyngeal cancer; Oropharynx; Survival.

MeSH terms

Female
Humans
Lymphoma / epidemiology*
Male
Middle Aged
Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / epidemiology*
SEER Program
United States / epidemiology