Specific Characteristics of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Mures Area

Abstract

Although head and neck cancers have a rising incidence, these diseases are less investigated because of their localisations’ heterogenity. The major risk factors susceptible to influence the evolution of the disease are smoking, alcohol consumption and infection with human papilloma virus. Using data from Mures County Emergency Hospital’s histopathology register, we made a retrospective study of 190 cases from the last two years. Factors of interest included age, sex, localization, histopathological subtype and differentiation grade. Median age at diagnosis was 61.31 years, the disease presenting highest incidence in the 51-60 age subgroup and a clear male predominance (5.75:1). The most frequent localization is lower lip (28%) and the dominant histopathological subtype is cheratinised squamous cell carcinoma (83,8%) and G2 differentiation grade (48,1%). This study supports the finding of increased incidence of cheratinised squamous cell carcinoma in this region. However the literature emphasizes rising incidence of head and neck cancer in younger, we observed that increase in Mures area occurred in 51-60 age group. Lower lip most frequent localization makes possible an early diagnosis.