Patterns of urgent hoarseness referrals to ENT-When should we be suspicious of cancer?
hoarseness
laryngeal cancer
larynx
outpatients
voice
Journal
Clinical otolaryngology : official journal of ENT-UK ; official journal of Netherlands Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology & Cervico-Facial Surgery
ISSN: 1749-4486
Titre abrégé: Clin Otolaryngol
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101247023
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
May 2021
May 2021
Historique:
revised:
14
09
2020
received:
05
02
2020
accepted:
29
11
2020
pubmed:
7
1
2021
medline:
4
1
2022
entrez:
6
1
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Current UK referral criteria stipulate that hoarseness should be persistent to merit 2 week wait (2WW) or urgent suspicion of cancer (USOC) referral. This study delineates patterns of hoarseness presentation with a view to assisting referral pathways, and whereby reassurance could be provided. A pre-existing database of patients referred with hoarseness under the urgent suspicion of cancer (USOC) category was analysed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed on a variety of demographic and comorbid features to produce odds ratios (OR) of features either related or not related to laryngeal cancer. Of 698 consecutive hoarseness referrals were studied. In these referrals there were 506(73%) with persistent hoarseness and 192(27%) with intermittent hoarseness. The most significant patient variables related to laryngeal cancer were persistent hoarseness (OR 4.97), recreational drug use (OR 4.94), male gender (OR 4.01) and weight loss (OR 3.75). Significant patient variables present not related to laryngeal cancer diagnosis were intermittent hoarseness (OR 0.2), the presence of cough (OR 0.2), globus sensation (OR 0.25) and recent viral infection (OR 0.29). The strongest association with cancer is seen in patients that are persistently hoarse. Patients with fluctuating hoarseness do not need an "urgent suspicion of cancer" referral. Additional demographic referral information could help to streamline the referral of these patients, and reassure others.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Current UK referral criteria stipulate that hoarseness should be persistent to merit 2 week wait (2WW) or urgent suspicion of cancer (USOC) referral. This study delineates patterns of hoarseness presentation with a view to assisting referral pathways, and whereby reassurance could be provided.
METHODS
METHODS
A pre-existing database of patients referred with hoarseness under the urgent suspicion of cancer (USOC) category was analysed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed on a variety of demographic and comorbid features to produce odds ratios (OR) of features either related or not related to laryngeal cancer.
RESULTS
RESULTS
Of 698 consecutive hoarseness referrals were studied. In these referrals there were 506(73%) with persistent hoarseness and 192(27%) with intermittent hoarseness. The most significant patient variables related to laryngeal cancer were persistent hoarseness (OR 4.97), recreational drug use (OR 4.94), male gender (OR 4.01) and weight loss (OR 3.75). Significant patient variables present not related to laryngeal cancer diagnosis were intermittent hoarseness (OR 0.2), the presence of cough (OR 0.2), globus sensation (OR 0.25) and recent viral infection (OR 0.29).
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSIONS
The strongest association with cancer is seen in patients that are persistently hoarse. Patients with fluctuating hoarseness do not need an "urgent suspicion of cancer" referral. Additional demographic referral information could help to streamline the referral of these patients, and reassure others.
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
562-569Informations de copyright
© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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