Clinical profile of patients of head and neck cancers- a prospective study of 100 cases

Background/Aim: Head and neck cancer is a group of cancers that starts within the mouth, nose, throat, larynx, sinuses, or salivary glands. When diagnosed early, oral, head and neck cancers can be treated more easily and the chances of survival increases.Surgical resection and radiation therapy are the mainstays of treatment for most head and neck cancers and remains the standard of care in most cases. Cure rates decrease in locally advanced cases, whose probability of cure is inversely related to tumor size and even more so to the extent of regional node involvement.
Materials and Methods: This is a prospective study of 100 patients of head and neck cancers admitted or reported in the department of surgery in Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, Amritsar during the time period of time 2017 to May 2019. Before initiating the study an informed consent was taken from every patient in his/her vernacular language after getting approval from institutional ethical committee.
Results: In our study of 100 patients of head and neck cancers, the male to female ratio was 1.5:1. The most common age group for both males and females were from the age group 31-40 years. The mean age in our study was 44 years. Tobacco and alcohol consumption are the major risk factors. In our study tobacco and alcohol consumption were 37% and 43% respectively. In our study the most common clinical diagnosis was that of carcinoma Thyroid (papillary) followed by carcinoma tongue. The high incidence of carcinoma thyroid can be attributed to majority of patients belonging to hilly areas and iodine deficient diet. The most common carcinoma in stage II was that of carcinoma tongue and in stage III was that of carcinoma thyroid (papillary).There was 18% patients with morbidity and 8% mortality in our study group. Conclusion: About 75% of head and neck cancer is due to the use of alcohol or tobacco. Race, ethnicity and age cannot be altered; however, lifestyle behavior such as use of tobacco and alcohol are amenable to change and increased intake of fruits and vegetables must be addressed. The goal of treatment for head and neck cancers is to control the disease, but also concerned about preserving the function of the affected areas as much as they can and helping the patient return to normal activities as soon as possible after treatment. Rehabilitation is a very important part of this process.