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Updated: Apr 8, 2026

Therapy Testing in a Spheroid-based 3D Cell Culture Model for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Published on: April 20, 2018
Factors predicting severe infections during chemotherapy in head and neck cancer patients
Takahiro Sasaki1, Yukinori Takenaka, Tarou Hayashi
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Toyonaka Municipal Hospital , Toyonaka , Japan.
Conclusions:
The head and neck cancer patients with more co-morbidities and those dependent on tube feeding are at a high risk of severe infections during chemotherapy. Therefore, prophylaxis with colony-stimulating factors and/or antibiotics should be considered for those patients.
Objectives:
To investigate the risk factors for severe infection during chemotherapy in head and neck cancer patients.
Methods:
A retrospective study was conducted of 129 patients with head and neck cancer who received taxane-based and platinum-based chemotherapy between 2008-2013. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate risk factors.
Results:
Febrile neutropenia occurred in 50 patients out of the 129 (39%), severe infections occurred in 24 patients (19%), and bacteremia in two patients (2%). In univariate analysis, low serum albumin levels and tube feeding were significantly associated with severe infections (p = 0.015 and < 0.001, respectively). In multivariate analysis, the odds ratios for a higher modified Charlson co-morbidity index and tube feeding were 2.80 and 9.74, respectively. These two were independent predictive factors for severe infections (p = 0.020 and 0.001, respectively).
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