Parameters evaluated by multivariate analysis:
(1) age
(2) lymph node levels involved
(3) cranial nerve involvement
(4) involvement of the orbit
(5) paraoropharyngeal involvement
(6) nasal involvement
|
Parameter
|
Hazard Ratio
|
95% CI
|
p value
|
|
age in years
|
1.026 per year
|
1.015 - 1.038
|
< 0.0001
|
|
lymph node involvement
|
1.71 per level
|
1.49 - 1.97
|
< 0.0001
|
|
cranial nerve involvement
|
2.14
|
1.49 - 3.06
|
0.0001
|
|
orbital involvement
|
2.50
|
1.42 - 4.40
|
0.004
|
|
paraoropharyngeal
|
1.38
|
1.05 - 1.80
|
0.02
|
|
nasal involvement
|
1.47
|
1.07 - 2.02
|
0.02
|
from Table 4, page 1917
where:
• Level I lymph nodes (after Ho et al) are in the upper cervical region, above the skin crease extending laterally and backward from the thyroid notch.
• Level II lymph nodes are between the skin crease and the supraclavicular fossa.
• Level III lymph nodes are in the supraclavicular fossa.
• The ages of the patients ranged from 15 to 85 years, with a mean age of 46.6 years. I am not sure precisely how to use the age data. The implementation will give from 0 to 4 points for 15 year intervals, but this may not be justified.
Lateral spread to the medial infratemporal fossa and beyond was associated with poor prognosis.
