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IMPORTANCE Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is endemic in some Asian regions but is jamanetworkcme.com and
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uncommon in the United States. Little is known about the racial, demographic, and biological
characteristics of the disease in pediatric patients.
OBJECTIVES To improve understanding of the differences between pediatric and adult NPC
and to determine whether race conferred a survival difference among pediatric patients
with NPC.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This retrospective cohort study included all 17 317
patients with a primary diagnosis of NCP in the National Cancer Data Base from January 1,
1998, to December 31, 2011. Of these, 699 patients were 21 years or younger (pediatric);
16 618 patients, older than 21 years (adult). Data were analyzed after data collection.
RESULTS Of the 17 317 patients, a total of 699 pediatric and 16 618 adult patients were
identified with a primary diagnosis of NPC (female, 239 pediatric patients [34.2%] and 5153
adult patients [32.4%]). Pediatric patients were most commonly black (299 of 686 [43.6%]),
whereas adults were most likely to be non-Hispanic white (9839 of 16 504 [60.0%];
P < .001). Pediatric patients were less likely to be Asian (39 of 686 [5.7%]) than were adults
(3226 of 16 405 [19.7%]; P < .001). Pediatric patients were more likely to have regional nodal
evaluation and to present with stage IV disease (227 of 643 [35.3%] and 330 of 565 [58.4%],
respectively) than were adult patients (3748 of 15 631 [24.0%] and 6553 of 13 721 [47.8%],
respectively; P < .001 for both comparisons). Pediatric patients had a lower risk for mortality
relative to adults (hazard ratio, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.25-0.56). No difference in mortality by racial
group was found among pediatric patients (hazard ratio, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.82-1.40).
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Pediatric patients with NPC were more commonly black and
presented more frequently with stage IV disease. Pediatric patients had a decreased mortality
risk relative to adults, even after adjusting for covariables. Asian race was not associated with
increased mortality in pediatric patients with NPC. Racial differences are not associated with
an increased risk for mortality among pediatric patients.
217
N
asopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a rare malignant tu- pared with adults older than 21 years. All of the data made
mor derived from the epithelium lining the nasophar- available to us by the NCDB ranged from January 1, 1998, to
ynx. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifi- December 31, 2011. No duplicate cases were included in the
cation system for NPC characterizes the tumors based on the analysis. This study was approved by the institutional
following 3 primary histopathologic subtypes: keratinizing review board of the Seattle Children’s Hospital. Because data
squamous cell carcinoma (type I), nonkeratinizing differenti- were deidentifed, informed consent was waived.
ated carcinoma (type II), and nonkeratinizing undifferenti-
ated carcinoma (type III).1 Clinical Covariates and Measures
The pathogenesis of NPC is related to a number of genetic Patient demographics included sex, race, insurance status,
and environmental factors. Subtypes of HLA antigens, chro- household income, educational level, and rural vs urban
mosomal deletions affecting tumor suppressor genes, and a place of residence (Table 1). Race was documented by the
polymorphism of the CYP2E1 gene have all been associated with trained abstractors based on the medical record and based on
an increased risk for developing NPC. 2 Infection with the Ep- standardized classifications within the NCDB data dictionary
stein-Barr virus is the most common environmental factor as- (http://ncdbpuf.facs.org/node/259). Race was assessed in this
sociated with the pathogenesis of types II and III NPC.2 Addi- study because previous reports of unequal racial distribu-
tional environmental risk factors include tobacco smoking and tions of NPC among adult patients have been made. 12-14
exposure to preserved foods, formaldehyde, and wood dust.2 Whether this racial distribution is the same or different in
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is endemic to southern China, children has yet to be determined. Insurance status was
Southeast Asia, northern Africa, and the Arctic region; NPC is defined as private, governmental, or uninsured. Household
much less common in Japan and the western hemisphere. In income was divided into quartiles based on the patient’s
endemic areas, the incidence of NPC has a unimodal age dis- home zip code. Educational level was based on the percent-
tribution with a peak from 50 to 60 years of age.3 In the Medi- age of high school graduates in the patient’s home zip code.
terranean countries and in select North American popula- Rural vs urban place of residence was based on population
tions, a bimodal age distribution has a minor peak from 10 to density and proximity to a metropolitan area.
20 years of age and a second peak from 40 to 60 years of age.3 Tumor features included stage of disease, tumor behav-
In the United States, adults of Chinese descent have the high- ior, tumor grade, and the presence of positive or negative
est rates of NPC, followed distantly by other ethnic groups, with margins at surgical resection. Disease staging was based on
persons of European descent at the lowest rates of NPC.4 Na- the National Comprehensive Cancer Network TNM classi-
sopharyngeal cancer is 2 to 3 times more common in males than fication.15 Tumor behavior was described as in situ or inva-
females, irrespective of race/ethnicity.5 In endemic areas, lower sive, whereas tumor grade was categorized as well differenti-
socioeconomic status is associated with a higher risk for NPC.6-8 ated, moderately differentiated, poorly differentiated, or
In the western hemisphere, NPC is exceedingly rare in chil- undifferentiated.15
dren and adolescents; the annual incidence of NPC inthe United Treatment factors included nodal evaluation and margin
States has been estimated to be 0.5 per 1 million children. 9 The status. Nodal evaluation was categorized as performed or not
WHO type III is the most common pathologic subtype of NPC performed. Margin status was defined as positive or negative.
in children, irrespective of geographic location or race/ In addition, the types of treatment received, including radio-
ethnicity, and the median age at NPC diagnosis in children is therapy, chemotherapy, and operative intervention, were
13 years.4,10 As with adults, the incidence of NPC in children is compared between pediatric and adult patients with NPC.
highest in boys; however, the highest rates of NPC in persons
younger than 20 years are in the black population. 4,10,11 Statistical Analysis
Although the demographic distribution and outcomes re- Data were analyzed after data collection. To perform the
lated to NPC in children and adolescents younger than 20 years analyses, pediatric patients 21 years or younger were com-
in the United States are known, the characteristics of NPC and pared with the adult population using univariate statistics
associated socioeconomic factors are less well described.11 The with the χ2 test for categorical data (P < .05). An adjusted Cox
purpose of the present study was to use the National Cancer proportional hazards regression model was used to estimate
Data Base (NCDB) to examine such characteristics of NPC survival differences between the 2 groups. To account for the
among pediatric patients. Our primary hypothesis was that, as increased risk for mortality due to non-NPC causes among
with endemic areas, NPC in persons 21 years or younger in the older patients, estimated survival was compared between the
Unites States would be associated with factors implying a lower 2 groups with the adult patient group restricted to patients
socioeconomic status. younger than 60 years. Finally, we stratified the pediatric
group by race, and survival was again estimated using an
adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression model. Adjust-
ment factors were determined a priori and included sex,
Methods income, education, race, insurance status, urban vs rural
Study Population place of residence, Charlson/Deyo comorbidity index (http:
We used the NCDB to perform a retrospective cohort study //ncdbpuf.facs.org/content/charlsondeyo-comorbidity-index),
of pediatric and adult patients with NPC in the United States. tumor grade, and disease stage. Statistical analysis was com-
Pediatric patients from birth to 21 years of age were com- pleted using STATA software (version 12; StataCorp LP).
218 JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery March 2016 Volume 142, Number 3 jamaotolaryngology.com
Table 1. Demographic, Tumor, and Treatment Characteristics for Patients With NPC
jamaotolaryngology.com JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery March 2016 Volume 142, Number 3 219
Table 2. Differences in Treatment Modalities for Pediatric and Adult Patients With NPC
220 JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery March 2016 Volume 142, Number 3 jamaotolaryngology.com
Table 3. Adjusted Mortality Risk Comparing Pediatric and Adult Patients Figure 2. Kaplan-Meier Survival Estimates for Pediatric Patients With
With NPC Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma by Race
Pediatric Patient Group Comparisona Risk for Mortality, HR (95% CI)b 100
All adults aged >21 y 0.37 (0.25-0.56)
Adults aged 21-60 y 0.41 (0.27-0.63)
Surviving Patients, %
75
Stratified by race 1.10 (0.82-1.40)
ARTICLE INFORMATION Published Online: January 14, 2016. Department of General and Thoracic Surgery,
Submitted for Publication: August 19, 2015; final doi:10.1001/jamaoto.2015.3217. Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle, Washington
revision received October 31, 2015; accepted Author Affiliations: Department of Surgery, (Richards, Gow, Goldin); Department of
November 11, 2015. University of Washington, Seattle (Richards); Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery,
Division of Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle (Dahl, Parikh);
jamaotolaryngology.com JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery March 2016 Volume 142, Number 3 221
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