# Higher tendency of undertreatment in older patients with laryngeal cancer in Brazil

## TL;DR

Older patients with laryngeal cancer in Brazil are less likely to receive cancer treatments and more likely to get palliative care, despite being diagnosed at an earlier stage.

## Contribution

The study reveals a significant undertreatment trend in elderly laryngeal cancer patients in Brazil, despite earlier diagnosis.

## Key findings

- Elderly patients were more likely to be diagnosed at early stages but received fewer oncological treatments.
- Elderly patients were 35% more likely to receive only supportive care compared to younger patients.
- Chemotherapy and combined treatments were significantly less common in older patients.

## Abstract

This study compared treatments and outcomes between patients younger than 70 years and those aged 70 years or older (elderly) with laryngeal cancer (LC).

Data were collected from Brazilian hospital records between 2000 and 2017.

A total of 38,978 patients were analysed, of whom 8,803 (22.6%) were ≥70 years old. Elderly patients were more frequently diagnosed at early stages (39.3% vs. 28.9%; p<0.001). However, these patients were 15% less likely to undergo surgery, 46% less likely to receive chemotherapy, and 33% less likely to receive combined treatments. In addition, elderly patients were 35% more likely to receive supportive care only.

Despite early diagnosis, elderly patients received fewer oncological treatments and more palliative care.