Under recognition and treatment of lymphedema in head and neck cancer survivors - a database study.

PURPOSE: Head and neck cancer (HNC) will be diagnosed in approximately 54,000 Americans in 2022 with more than 11,000 dying as a result. The treatment of HNC often involves aggressive multimodal therapy including surgery, radiotherapy, and systemic therapy. HNC and its treatments are associated with multiple painful and function-limiting neuromusculoskeletal and visceral long-term and late effects. Among these is head and neck lymphedema (HNL), the abnormal accumulation of protein rich fluid, in as many as 90% of survivors. Though HNL is common and potentially contributory to other function-limiting issues in this population, it is notoriously understudied, underrecognized, underdiagnosed, and undertreated. This study seeks to determine the incidence of HNC-related lymphedema diagnosis and treatment in a large US healthcare claims repository database.

METHODS: A retrospective observational cohort design and data from an integrated US healthcare claims repository-the IBM MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters (CCAE) and Medicare Supplemental and Coordination of Benefits (MDCR) Databases spanning the period April 1, 2012 through March 31, 2020.

RESULTS: Of the 16,654 HNC patients eligible for evaluation, 1,082 (6.5%) with a diagnosis of lymphedema were identified based on eligibility criteria. Of the 521 HNC patients evaluated for lymphedema treatment, 417 (80.0%) patients received 1.5 courses of MLD, 71 (13.6%) patients were prescribed compression garments, and 45 (8.6%) patients received an advanced pneumatic compression device.

CONCLUSION: HNL in this population of HNC survivors was underdiagnosed and treated compared with contemporary assessments HNL incidence.