Accepted for/Published in: Interactive Journal of Medical Research
Date Submitted: Sep 25, 2020
Date Accepted: May 31, 2021
Pulmonary Screening Practices among Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgeons across Saudi Arabia in the Post-treatment Surveillance of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Cross-Sectional Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
Background:
In head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients (HNSCC), post-treatment surveillance for distant disease is mostly focusing on the lungs, as HNSCC distant metastasis occurs in this organ in 90% of the cases and a high rate of primary of the lungs can be expected due to field cancerization of the entire upper aerodigestive tract.
Objective:
Objective:
The survey aimed to evaluate the current beliefs and pulmonary screening practices among otolaryngology-head & neck surgeons across Saudi Arabia in the post-treatment surveillance of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
Methods:
Methods:
This is a nation-wide cross-sectional survey was conducted among Head and Neck surgeon members of the Saudi Society of Otolaryngology during 1– 30 June 2020. A predesigned questionnaire was used for data collection, and descriptive analysis was carried out.
Results:
Results:
The study included 22 participants with a 78% response rate. The study found that the majority, 40.9% used lung radiography, followed by 31.8%, used low dose CT for routine lung screening during the post-treatment follow-up. Regarding the duration of lung screening during follow-up, the majority (77.3%) reported five years duration, and only 9.1% performed lung screening lifelong. As regards the frequency of lung screening, 77.3% reported annual screening, 18.2% half-yearly, and 4.5% biennially. Regarding believed effectiveness of the screening procedures in reducing lung cancer mortality during the follow-up, 36.4% believed it to be very effective or somewhat effective, 18.2% don’t know, and only 9.1% believed that it was not effective.
Conclusions:
Conclusion: the majority used lung radiography, low dose CT and PET/CT as a routine lung screening during the post-treatment follow-up of head and neck cancer for mainly five years, ten years, and only a small percent performed lung screening lifelong. Lung screening was mostly annually or half-yearly. The screening is believed to be very effective or somewhat effective. Clinical Trial: Nill
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