The frequency of tumors of the head and neck in a 10-year period in Ilam, Iran

Introduction: Cancer is one of the five leading causes of death around the world, and head and neck cancer is one of the most common incidences, leading to the death of thousands of people each year. Given the epidemiological importance of head and neck cancers, this study aimed to examine the prevalence of head and neck cancers over a 10-year period in Ilam. Materials and methods: This descriptive study was done using the files of 1106 patients with head and neck lesions who were referred to Imam Khomeini hospital in Ilam in a 10-year period between 2004 and 2015. All the data in the files, including age, sex, type and location of the lesion, was recorded, evaluated, and analyzed using independent t-tests and chi-square statistical methods with SPSS 19. Results: The annual incidence of head and neck cancers in Ilam was estimated at 1.5 per 100,000 people. Basal cell carcinoma was the most common cancer of the head and neck (18.50%). The most common site of squamous cell carcinoma occurrence was the tongue at 54%. Regarding sex, 55.5% of patients were male and 44.5% were female. Regarding malignancy, 289 lesions (26.13%) were reported as malignant and 817 lesions (73.86%) were reported as benign. Conclusion: Considering the high incidence of basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma the importance of early diagnosis of these cancers and their treatment requires appropriate planning to improve survival of these patients and to reduce the disease’s complications.