Impact of treatment delay on survival of oral/oropharyngeal cancers: Results of a nationwide screening program

Background To assess the impact of treatment delay on survival of oral/oropharyngeal cancer (OSCC). Methods We followed 5743 OSCCs between 2004 and 2009 from a population‐based screening program and ascertained death until the end of 2012. Results The hazard ratios (HRs) of mortality from OSCC were 1.46 (1.30‐1.65) and 1.18 (1.04‐1.33) in univariable and multivariable analyses, respectively, for treatment delay longer than 6 weeks compared with that shorter than 3 weeks. The corresponding figures were 1.12 (1.01‐1.24) and 1.00 (0.91‐1.11) for treatment delay between 3 and 6 weeks. Advancing age (1.01), higher stage (stage II: 1.84, stage III: 2.97, stage IV: 6.33), cancer in tongue (1.37), or hard palate (1.63) had higher HR of mortality (P