Distribution of head and neck lesions diagnosed on histopathology in Western U.P.: A retrospective study

Introduction: Head and neck lesions are very common in day to day practice. These diseases range from common cold to the uncommon, malignant neoplasms. These lesions are responsible for very high morbidity and mortality. Factors known to contribute to the risk of developing head and neck cancer are smokeless tobacco (Pan masala, soda), alcohol, HPV viral infections, etc. Smokeless tobacco is commonly used in Northern part of India, especially in Uttar Pradesh. Aim: To evaluate the diagnosis, frequency and histopathological subtypes of head and neck lesions and their distribution in different age groups and sex in Western Uttar Pradesh. Settings and Design: A retrospective study of 3 years from March 2014 to February 2017 was conducted and the data were collected from the archives of the department. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 15.0. Materials and Methods: All the biopsies from the head and neck region, which were submitted for histopathology in the Post Graduate department of Pathology, Rohilkhand Medical College and Hospital, Bareilly, were reviewed and analyzed for their demographic profile, age, gender, site and diagnosis. The lesions were then categorized accordingly as inflammatory, benign and malignant. Results: All the lesions of head and neck region, diagnosed on histopathology were included in the present study. A total of three hundred twenty one biopsies were studied, including 212 (66%) males and 109 (34%) females (M: F=1.9:1). 197 (61%) of the cases were benign, followed by 69 (22%) malignant and 55 (17%) inflammatory lesions. The maximum numbers of malignant cases were in the age group of 41 to 50 years with Squamous cell carcinoma as the most common histopathological type. The most common site of malignant lesions was the oral cavity. The maximum benign lesions were in the 11-20 years age group. Conclusions: The present study helped us in assessing the frequency as well as the different histopathological types of head and neck lesions in different age groups and gender in this part of the country.