Language barriers in head and neck cancer: Matched pair analysis of outcomes between non-English speaking and English-speaking patients

PurposeAs society grows in cultural diversity, an increasing proportion of patients are expected to be from non-English speaking backgrounds. This study sought to compare the clinical outcomes between non-English speakers and English speakers treated by radiation therapy for head and neck cancer.Methods and materialsSeventy-five non-English speaking patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck were matched to English-speaking controls based on patient and disease variables; clinical outcomes were compared.ResultsNon-English speaking patients had inferior 3-year overall survival (64% vs. 77%, p = 0.02) and progression-free survival (59% vs. 73%, p = 0.01) compared with the English-speaking cohort. On logistical regression, non-English-speaking status was associated with a significantly increased risk of overall death (OR = 1.41; 95% CI, 1.09-1.92).ConclusionsPrognosis differed significantly between non-English speaking and English-speaking patients. Culturally tailored programs to address language barriers should be considered to ameliorate disparities in outcome.