Profile of Lung Cancer in Two Niger Delta States of Nigeria: An Evaluation of 43 Cases

Abstract

Background: The data on the epidemiology of lung cancer in Niger delta states is scarce. Therefore, this study aims to determine the epidemiological  profile of lung cancer in two Niger Delta states in Nigeria.

Methodology: This was a retrospective analysis of all patients managed for histologically diagnosed lung cancer from Jan 2014 to Dec 2019 at two  tertiary hospitals in Niger Delta states of Nigeria. The demographics, diagnoses, results of investigations, and outcomes were analysed using descriptive  statistics.

Results: Forty-three patients were reviewed with a male-to-female ratio of 1.5:1 and an age range between 13-89 years with a mean of 53.5+17.0 years.  The following number of patients; 1(2.3%), 26(60.5%), 4 (9.3%) and 12(27.9%) were distributed according into the following age groups ;< 20, 20-59, 60-64  and >65 respectively. Eleven (25.6%) patients were smokers. The commonest symptoms were dyspnoea in 39(90.7%), cough in 35(81.4%), weight loss in  29(67.4%), chest pain in 28(65.1%), and change in voice (hoarseness of voice) in 8(18.6%); while the signs were respiratory distress in 33(76.7%), digital  clubbing in 8(18.6%), superior vena cava syndrome in 2(4.7%).The left lung was commonly affected in 24(55.8%) patients, and the left upper lobe was the  most common in 21 (20.2%), while the right upper lobe was the least in 13(12.6%) patients. The histological types were Adenocarcinoma in 26(60.5%),  squamous cell carcinoma in 15(34.9%) patients, and small cell carcinoma in 2(4.7%) patients. Fifteen (34.9%) patients had elevated platelets. The  modalities of pathologic diagnoses were: Mini-Thoracotomy10 (23.3%), Tru-cut biopsy 28 (65.1%), and Bronchoscopy 5 (11.6%).The mortality rate after six  months following lung cancer diagnosis was 7(16.2%).

Conclusion: In our environment, lung cancer may have a bimodal distribution, peaking in the middle age group and elderly patients who were mainly  non-smokers. Elevation of platelets was observed in a significant number of patients.