Study design and study population
The SEER database is a premier source for cancer statistics in the US; it includes information on cancer incidence, treatment, and survival for approximately 30% of the US population. Information on the status of lung metastases in hypo-pharyngeal cancer from 2010 to 2014 at the time of initial cancer diagnosis was released in 2017. By using the SEER database, 2833 patients aged 20 years or older who were diagnosed with hypo-pharyngeal cancer between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2014 were identified. Patients whose lung metastases status at time of diagnosis was either unknown or not applicable, or patients who didn’t schedule a follow-up appointment were excluded, eventually leaving 2714 patients in the final cohort.
Reporting guideline: Secondary data analysis