Prevalence of Nasopharyngeal carcinoma among patients in Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a malignant tumor of the nasopharynx with skewed geographical distribution. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of NPC and ascertain the predominant age and NPC type in Ebonyi state Nigeria. Pathology records of all NPC cases diagnosed at Alex-Ekwueme Federal University Teaching hospital, Abakaliki from January 2012 to December 2023 were retrospectively reviewed. Data on prevalence, NPC type, and demographic factors of the patients were obtained. The slides were retrieved and reviewed to confirm the diagnosis. A total of five (5) NPC cases were recorded from January 2012 to December 2023. Three (3) of the cases occurred in male and two in female. The peak age group of occurrences of NPC is from 40 to 50 years for both male and female. The predominant NPC type is non-keratinizing undifferentiated NPC with three (3) cases (60%), and two non-keratinizing, differentiated type (40%). All the NPC cases in female were non-keratinizing undifferentiated type while one case of non-keratinizing undifferentiated occurred in male. The two recorded non-keratinizing differentiated subtype occurred in male. In conclusion, NPC is low in Ebonyi state and occurs more in males. The peak age of occurrence is 46 - 50years. Non-keratinizing NPC is the only type existing in this part of the world.