Malignant Orofacial Neoplams in Lagos Nigeria

Objectives: To analyze general differences in age, gender, anatomic location of the various histological types of malignant orofacial neoplasms at a tertiary referral center in Nigeria. Methods: Data were extracted from the hospital records (case files, histology reports and radiographs) of patients who presented at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital over a 15-year period. All patients with a histological diagnosis of malignancy were included provided the final surgical histology reports as well as the biopsy reports were available for review. The parameters of interest (age, gender, anatomic location and histological type were analyzed with SPSS statistical soft ware. Results: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCCA) with a peak age incidence in the 6th decade of life and a male to female ratio of 1.65 to 1 was the most common cancer (42.8%). Males with SCCA (mean=48.73years) were relatively younger than females (mean=58.78 years). Eighteen percent of patients with SCCA were below 40 years at presentation and males were predominantly affected (male-female ratio of 5.2 to 1). The Most commonly affected sites for SCCA were the maxillary antrum (36.7%), mandibular gingiva/alveolus (23.0%) and tongue (12.04%). Patients who presented with antral SCCA were relatively younger (mean=48.91years) than those who had SCCA involving the mandibular gingiva/alveolus (mean=57.1years) as well as floor of mouth (mean=56.25 years). Majority of the glandular carcinomas (GLDCAs) arose from minor salivary glands (63.0%). Thirty seven per cent of these patients were below 40 years at presentation. Females who had antral GLDCA (mean=32.38 years) were relatively younger their male counterparts (mean=48.95 years). Conclusions: The proportion of oro-facial cancers that is SCCA in Nigerians is relatively low because of a relatively high proportion of GLDCA and Burkitt's lymphoma. A relatively high proportion of patients with SCCA were below 40 years at presentation. They were predominantly males who presented with poorly differentiated tumors.