Evaluation Of Tumoral Lesions Of The Skin And Subcutaneous Tissue Of The Head And Neck In Geriatric Population

Abstract

Introduction: Malignant tumors of the skin include basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, malignant melanoma and tumors of the skin appendages.Skin lesions in the head and neck region are frequently encountered in the geriatric population. Although these lesions are generally benign, it is widely known that the prevalence of malignant lesions increases with age.In adults, 80% of the masses in the neck, except benign thyroid diseases, are of neoplastic origin and this rate reaches 90% after the 5th decade. About 70% of these neoplastic masses are malignant, and three-quarters of these are metastatic and one-fourth is primary malignancies. Objectives: Increasing world population, increasing survival time and increasing geriatric patient population create some differences in healthcare. We planned this study for this purpose. Methods: The data of 73 patients aged 65 and over were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups as 65-75 years old (Group 1), > 75 years old (Group 2), by age. Results: Premalignant lesions were found to be statistically significantly higher in Group 1 (p<0.01). It was observed that malignant lesions were statistically significantly more common in the skin compared to the subcutaneous tissue. (p=0.015) Malignant skin lesions were observed statistically significantly more frequently in the neck region compared to other regions (p=0.004). Conclusions: The risk of malignancy in the patient group over 75 years is approximately doubled. It is necessary to approach the neck and subcutaneous masses carefully in terms of malignancy in the geriatric patient group