Clinical and Histological Patterns of Oropharyngeal Tumors in Selected Health Institutions in North Western Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Tumors of the oropharynx affect a common pathway for deglutition, respiration and speech and therefore pose a challenge to both the patient and clinician. This paper attempts to present clinical and histologic patterns, and therapeutic challenges of oropharyngeal tumors from three selected health facilities in North Western Nigeria. Materials and Methods: The medical records of patients seen in the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Federal Medical Centre Birnin Kebbi and Shepherd Specialist Hospital, Sokoto with oropharyngeal tumors over a fourteen-year period were reviewed (January 2000 to December 2013). Results: A total of 36 patients were seen. Twenty (56%) were males and 16 (44%) were females, making the male:female ratio, 1.3:1, (P value of 0.004 for the null hypothesis). The age range was 3 to 80 years, with a mean age of 45.5 years. Majority of patients were in their 5th decade of life (33%). Nineteen (53%) patients presented with dysphagia, 11 (28%) with mass in the mouth (soft palate), 7 (17%) with neck swelling, while 3 patients (7%) presented with upper airway obstruction. Twenty-six patients (72%) presented at an advanced stage. Squamous cell carcinoma accounted for 31% of the cases, followed by lymphoma 14%, adenoid cystic carcinoma 8%, pleomorphic adenoma 5%, mucoepidermoid carcinoma 5%, peripheral nerve sheath tumour 3%, alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (3%), tuberculoma (3%) and inflammatory polyp (3%). Surgery was carried out in 31 cases (86.1%) for the purpose of obtaining biopsy and removal of tumour, followed by chemotherapy (5.5%) and radiotherapy (5.5%) where histologic diagnosis was malignant. Five (13.9%) did not consent for any intervention. Conclusion: Oropharyngeal tumours are varied in presentation. Squamous cell carcinoma (31%) was the commonest histologic type followed by lymphoma (14%) and adencystic carcinoma (8%). About 72% of the cases were in advanced stages (T4). More than half of the tumours (53%) were of soft palate origin.