An Investigation of Clinical Features of Head and Neck Cancers in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Objective: To investigate the clinical features of individuals with head and neck cancer at a tertiary care hospital. Methodology: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was conducted at the Histopathology Department of Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Lahore, Pakistan, duration from August 2019 to September 2024. Total 250 cases, confirmed through histopathological analysis and above 20 years of age, were included in the study. The cancer sites encompassed the nasopharynx, oral cavity, oropharynx (specifically lip, tongue, tonsil, mouth floor, gingiva, and retromolar trigone), larynx, pharynx, salivary glands, and sinonasal region. The outcomes were to investigate the tumor site in HNC, assess the histological HNC frequency, analyze the HNC stages of tumor node metastasis, and explore the etiological factors contributing to HNC. Failure rates were documented with regard to the type of recurrence, whether it was local, systemic, or distant. Results: Among the cases, majority (85.2%) were male, and 14.8% were female. The patients mean age was 55.0±20.2 years. The most prevalent age was 40–59 years, representing 55.2% of the cases. The oral cavity was the frequent primary tumor site, observed in 35.2%, followed by the nasopharynx in 20%. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most prevalent type of HNC, observed in 75.2%. The frequency of HNC varied across TNM stages, ranging from stage 0 to stage 4, with 65.2% of cases classified as stage 4. Smoking alone was identified as the most prevalent risk factor for cancer, primarily in the oral cavity, followed by the larynx. Conclusion: The increasing incidence of HNC has led to high morbidity and mortality in the Pakistani, primarily due to risk factors such as smoking, tobacco use in various forms, and alcohol consumption.