Head and Neck Malignant Tumours in Gombe, Northeast Nigeria

Background: Head and neck cancer is the 10(th) most common cancer in the world constituting 5-8% of total cancer burden in Europe and America. However, it is difficult to appreciate the burden in Nigeria because of inadequate data. This retrospective study analysed the clinicopathological variables of head and neck malignancies seen over a 10-year period at a northeastern Nigerian referral centre.

Material And Methods: The demographics and clinical findings of the patients were obtained from the case files while histology reports were retrieved from the histopathology department of the hospital. Malignancies involving the eye, brain and thyroid were excluded.

Results: One hundred and ninety five cases of head and neck malignancies were recorded over the ten year study period. The mean age of the patients was 38.3years (+20 SD) while a male: female ratio of 1.3:1 was recorded for all cases. The neck was the most frequent site of tumours, accounting for 57(29%) cases. While epithelial malignancies were 56.9% of all cases, lymphomas constituted 21.5%, sarcomas constituted 10.3% and others malignancies accounted for 11.3%. There was no sex predilection for carcinomas (1:1), but there were slightly more lymphomas 26(23%) in males than 16(19%) in females. Carcinomas were more prevalent in those above 51years of age; sarcomas were most common within the 21-30year age group while 42.8% of cases of lymphoma were in the 2(nd) and 3(rd) decades of life.

Conclusion: While malignant head and neck tumours showed no sex predilection, carcinomas remained the most frequent head and neck malignancies in this study.