Head and Neck Cancer Survivors may have Increased Stroke Risk: JAMA

Written By : Jacinthlyn Sylvia |Medically Reviewed By : Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli Published On 2024-02-19T17:30:50+05:30 | Updated On 19 Feb 2024 7:49 PM IST

A comprehensive study published in the Journal of American Medical Association revealed that survivors of head and neck cancers (HNC) face a significantly increased risk of stroke. The findings from the Singaporean national registry-based cross-sectional study that spanned from 2005 to 2020 and underscored the urgent need for tailored strategies and increased awareness among healthcare professionals and patients.

This research looked into data from various registries including the Singapore Cancer Registry, the Singapore Stroke Registry and the Registry of Birth and Deaths. The team led by Pui Lam Yip utilized standardized methods to analyze the stroke risk among subgroups of the HNC population after considering for factors such as demographics, disease characteristics, and treatment modalities.

The key findings from the study revealed that out of the 9,803 survivors of HNC identified, approximately 3.4% developed stroke over a median follow-up period of 42.5 months. The analysis showed a sharp 2.46-fold increase in the age-standardized incidence rate ratio (SIRR) of stroke among HNC survivors when compared to the general population. The age-standardized incidence rate difference (SIRD) stood at 4.11 strokes per 1000 person-years which emphasized the substantial risk burden faced by this population.

The study underlined observations that the risk of stroke remained elevated across various subgroups which includes different age brackets, cancer subsites, stages, histologies and treatment approaches. Also, the individuals undergoing primary radiation treatment expressed a significantly higher risk when compared to the individuals who opt for primary surgery. Overall, this study emphasized the importance of early screening and intervention strategies customized to the unique needs of HNC survivors.

Reference:

Yip, P. L., Zheng, H., Cheo, T., Tan, T. H., Lee, S. F., Leong, Y. H., Wong, L. C., Tey, J., Ho, F., & Soon, Y. Y. (2024). Stroke Risk in Survivors of Head and Neck Cancer. In JAMA Network Open (Vol. 7, Issue 2, p. e2354947). American Medical Association (AMA). https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.54947

JAMA Network Openhead and neck cancersstroke risk

Source : JAMA Network Open

Jacinthlyn Sylvia

Neuroscience Masters graduate

Jacinthlyn Sylvia, a Neuroscience Master's graduate from Chennai has worked extensively in deciphering the neurobiology of cognition and motor control in aging. She also has spread-out exposure to Neurosurgery from her Bachelor’s. She is currently involved in active Neuro-Oncology research. She is an upcoming neuroscientist with a fiery passion for writing. Her news cover at Medical Dialogues feature recent discoveries and updates from the healthcare and biomedical research fields. She can be reached at editorial@medicaldialogues.in

Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli

Dr Kamal Kant Kohli-MBBS, DTCD- a chest specialist with more than 30 years of practice and a flair for writing clinical articles, Dr Kamal Kant Kohli joined Medical Dialogues as a Chief Editor of Medical News. Besides writing articles, as an editor, he proofreads and verifies all the medical content published on Medical Dialogues including those coming from journals, studies,medical conferences,guidelines etc. Email: drkohli@medicaldialogues.in. Contact no. 011-43720751