Okwor Vitalis C, Fagbamigbe Adeniyi F, Fawole Olufunmilayo I
Department of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Faculty of Public Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
Department of Radiation Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu, Nigeria.
Cancer Manag Res. 2017 Jul 21;9:331-338. doi: 10.2147/CMAR.S133108. eCollection 2017.
Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a major clinical and public health concern worldwide which impairs the vital functions of life. The treatment of metastatic HNCs is mainly palliative. This study examined the survival patterns and treatment outcomes in patients with HNCs in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria.
A review of the case files and treatment cards of patients with histological diagnosis of HNCs seen between January 2002 and December 2011 at the Radiotherapy Department, University College Hospital, Ibadan, was conducted. A total of 494 cases were identified, of which 481 had valid records. Analyses were done using Kaplan-Meier survival function and Cox proportional hazard regression techniques at 5% significance level.
The median age of patients was 42 years with a male-to-female ratio of 2:1. Most patients presented at stages 3 (50.7%) and 4 (36.8%). Nasopharyngeal carcinoma was the most common (42.6%) HNC, followed by paranasal sinus (17.7%) and laryngeal cancer (11.6%). The lung was the most common site of metastasis (25.5%). Patients who presented at stages 1 and 4 disease had a median survival of 7.8 years and 1.9 years, respectively. Patients treated with a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy had a median survival of 8.0 years compared with those who had a single modality of treatment (~6.3 years).
Patient survival was inversely proportional to the stage of the disease. To encourage the early presentation of HNC cases, health education of the population on routine medical check-ups and on the symptoms suggestive of HNC is recommended. Health care providers should be trained to refer suspected cases promptly to tertiary health facilities for management.
头颈癌（HNC）是全球主要的临床和公共卫生问题，会损害生命的重要功能。转移性头颈癌的治疗主要是姑息性的。本研究调查了尼日利亚一家三级医院中头颈癌患者的生存模式和治疗结果。
回顾了2002年1月至2011年12月期间在伊巴丹大学学院医院放疗科经组织学诊断为头颈癌患者的病历和治疗卡。共识别出494例病例，其中481例有有效记录。使用Kaplan-Meier生存函数和Cox比例风险回归技术在5%显著性水平下进行分析。
患者的中位年龄为42岁，男女比例为2:1。大多数患者处于3期（50.7%）和4期（36.8%）。鼻咽癌是最常见的（42.6%）头颈癌，其次是鼻窦癌（17.7%）和喉癌（11.6%）。肺是最常见的转移部位（25.5%）。处于1期和4期疾病的患者中位生存期分别为7.8年和1.9年。接受化疗和放疗联合治疗的患者中位生存期为8.0年，而接受单一治疗方式的患者中位生存期约为6.3年。
患者的生存与疾病分期成反比。为鼓励头颈癌病例的早期就诊，建议对公众进行关于常规体检和头颈癌提示症状的健康教育。应培训医疗保健提供者将疑似病例及时转诊至三级卫生机构进行管理。
