Background: Acute, catastrophic bleeding in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) is challenging and also a burden for their families and frontline physicians. This study analyzed the risk factors for rebleeding and long-term outcomes in these patients with HNC.
Methods: Patients who presented to the emergency department (ED) with HNC bleeding were enrolled in this study (N = 231). Variables of patients with or without rebleeding were compared, and associated factors were investigated using Cox's proportional hazard model.
Results: Of the 231 patients enrolled, 112 (48.5%) experienced a recurrent bleeding event. The cumulative rebleeding incidence rate was 23% at 30 days, 49% at 180 days, and 56% at 1 year. Multivariate Cox regression analyses demonstrated that overweight-to-obesity (HR = 0.52, 95% CI 0.28-0.98, p = 0.043), laryngeal cancer (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.13, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-4.23, p = 0.031), chemoradiation (HR = 1.49, 95% CI 1.001-2.94, p = 0.049), and second primary cancer (HR = 1.75, 95% CI 1.13-2.70, p = 0.012) are significant independent predictors of rebleeding, and the prognostic factors for overall survival included underweight (HR = 1.89, 95% CI 1.22-2.93, p = 0.004), heart rate > 110 beats/min (HR = 1.58, 95% CI 1.04-2.39, p = 0.032), chemoradiation (HR = 2.31, 95% CI 1.18-4.52, p = 0.015), and local recurrence (HR = 1.74, 95% CI 1.14-2.67, p = 0.011).
Conclusions: Overweight-to-obesity is a protective factor, while laryngeal cancer, chemoradiation and a second primary cancer are risk factors for rebleeding in patients with HNC. Our results may assist physicians in risk stratification of patients with HNC bleeding.
Keywords: Head and neck cancer; Outcome; Rebleeding; Risk factor.
© 2022. The Author(s).