Background: The pupose of this study was to describe variations in incidence and resection rates of patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in Ontario.
Methods: All oral cavity SCCs in Ontario between 2003 and 2010 were identified from the Ontario Cancer Registry. Incidence and resection rates along with variations in care were compared by sociodemographic factors and Ontario health regions.
Results: The 8-year incidence rates for oral cavity SCC was 21.3 per 100,000 with variations by sex, age group, neighborhood income, and community size. Seventy-four percent of patients underwent an oral cavity cancer resection, of which 91% were at a regional head and neck cancer center. Variations in resection rates existed by region of residence and treatment.
Conclusion: Oral cavity cancer incidence rates vary by sex, age, neighborhood income, community size, and health region. Resection rates vary by age and health region. Oral cavity cancer care is highly regionalized in Ontario. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: 1113-1118, 2016.
Keywords: cancer; head and neck oncology; health services research; inequities; oral cavity; variations in care.
© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.