Laryngeal cancer at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana

Abstract

Introduction: Laryngeal cancer is the commonest Head and Neck cancer seen at the Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) Unit Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. The aim of this study was to determine the number of cases of laryngeal cancer seen at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, establish epidemiological parameters of the disease and to outline preventive measures.

Method: One hundred and fifteen (115) patients who were managed for laryngeal cancer from 1 ^st January 1998 to 31 ^st December 2003 were studied retrospectively with respect to age, sex, duration of symptoms at presentation, risk factors, symptoms complex, histopathology, stage of tumor, details of treatment offered and follow up.

Results: The age range was 17-85 years with a mean of 55.5 years (SD10.7). Majority of the patients (90.4%) were above 40 years. The commonest symptom at presentation was dysphonia. A significant proportion of cases (37.3%) presented with locally advanced disease. The commonest histological type of laryngeal tumour seen was squamous cell carcinoma. The treatment offered consisted of radiotherapy for 83 (79.8%) patients and total laryngectomy with neck dissection when necessary for 17 (16.3%) patients who also had postoperative radiotherapy. Only 58 (69.9%) patients completed radiotherapy treatment and in all 32 (24.3 %) patients did not report for any treat-ment. Majority of patients failed to report for post treatment follow up.

Conclusions: We conclude that significant number of patients with laryngeal cancer presented with locally advanced disease and dysphonia was the commonest symptom.

Keywords: laryngeal cancer, squamous cell carcinoma

Ghana Medical Journal Vol. 40(2) 2006: 45-49