Table 1. Baseline characteristics of HNC patients and their informal caregivers
|
HNC patients (n = 739) |
Informal caregivers (n = 262) |
|
| Mean age ± SD |
63.2 ± 9.7 |
58.8 ± 11.6 |
| Sex, n (%) | ||
| – Men |
549 (74%) |
70 (27%) |
| – Women |
190 (26%) |
192 (73%) |
| Education level, n (%)1 | ||
| – Low |
279 (43%) |
82 (37%) |
| – Middle |
171 (26%) |
63 (28%) |
| – High |
198 (31%) |
78 (35%) |
| Living situation, n (%)2 | ||
| – Living alone |
163 (25%) |
8 (4%) |
| – Living with partner (with or without children) |
451 (69%) |
205 (91%) |
| – Other (e.g. living with children, living with parents or assisted living |
35 (5%) |
12 (5%) |
| Tumor location, n (%) | ||
| – Oral Cavity |
199 (27%) |
|
| – Oropharynx |
262 (36%) |
|
| – Hypopharynx |
52 (7%) |
|
| – Larynx |
205 (28%) |
|
| – Unknown primary |
21 (3%) |
|
| Clinical disease Stage, n (%) | ||
| – Stage 0/I3 |
163 (22%) |
|
| – Stage II |
132 (18%) |
|
| – Stage III |
127 (17%) |
|
| – Stage IV |
317 (43%) |
|
| Type of treatment, n (%)4 | ||
| – Single treatment | ||
| Surgery |
152 (21%) |
|
| Radiotherapy |
241 (33%) |
|
| – Combination treatment | ||
| Chemoradiotherapy |
215 (29%) |
|
| Surgery and radiotherapy |
106 (14%) |
|
| Surgery and chemoradiotherapy |
23 (3%) |
|
| Other5 |
1 (0.1%) |
|
| WHO performance, n (%) | ||
| – Able to carry out normal activity |
507 (69%) |
|
| – Restricted in physically strenuous activity but ambulatory and able to carry out light work |
191 (26%) |
|
| – Ambulatory and capable of all self-care but unable to carry out any work |
40 (5%) |
|
| – Capable of only limited self-care |
1 (0.1%) |
|
| – Completely disabled |
0 (0%) |
|
| Comorbidity, n (%)6 | ||
| – None |
204 (29%) |
|
| – Mild |
264 (38%) |
|
| – Moderate |
155 (22%) |
|
| – Severe |
76 (11%) |
|
| HPV-status (oropharynx cancer only), n (%)7 | ||
| – Positive |
99 (43%) |
|
| – Negative |
130 (57%) |
|
| Baseline smoking status, n (%)8 | ||
| – Daily smoker |
127 (22%) |
38 (17%) |
| – Not a daily smoker |
445 (78%) |
187 (83%) |
| Baseline alcohol consumption, n (%)9 | ||
| – Excessive alcohol consumption |
129 (22%) |
25 (11%) |
| – No excessive alcohol consumption |
445 (78%) |
200 (89%) |
| Relation informal caregiver – patient, n (%)10 | ||
| – Partner |
219 (84%) |
|
| – Daughter/son |
31 (12%) |
|
| – Other (i.e. sibling, friend, ex-partner) |
10 (4%) |
