Clinicopathological Profile of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Indian J Med Paediatr Oncol 2019; 40(03): 369-373
DOI: DOI: 10.4103/ijmpo.ijmpo_180_17
Abstract
Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) constitutes one of the most common malignancies in the world. The geographic location influences the etiologic factors and site of tumor. Aims and Objectives: The present study was carried out to illustrate the clinicopathologic profiles of HNSCC patients since data regarding these tumors from eastern region of India are scarce. Materials and Methods: A prospective study was undertaken for 2 years in which patients with histologically proven HNSCC were included. The clinicopathologic features of each case were analyzed. Results: A total of 108 cases were included in the study, among which 79 (73.15%) were male and 29 (26.85%) were female. Mean age of the patients was 53.21 (±12.17) years. The most common risk factor was smoking (63 cases, 58.33%) followed by tobacco or betel nut chewing (41 cases, 37.96%). The common patterns of presentation included ulcerated lesion (51 cases, 47.22%), whitish lesion (28 cases, 25.93%), and hoarseness of voice (11 cases, 10.19%). The most common sites involved were buccal mucosa (36 cases, 33.33%) and dorsal surface of the tongue (26 cases, 24.07%). The most common site for exophytic tumors was buccal mucosa (9 out of 23, 39.13%) and that for ulceroproliferative lesions was tongue (9 out of 17, 52.04%). Microscopically, well-differentiated (Grade I) tumors were most common (67 cases, 62.04%) followed by moderately differentiated (Grade II) tumors (38 cases, 35.19%). A statistically significant correlation was obtained between anatomic site and grade of the tumor. Conclusion: Patients of HNSCC from the eastern region of India have distinctive features with regard to macroscopic appearance and microscopic grade of their tumors.
Keywords
Anatomical distribution - demographic pattern - head and neck squamous cell carcinoma - histopathological grade - risk factorsPublication History
Received: 14 September 2017
Accepted: 21 June 2018
Article published online:
03 June 2021
© 2019. Indian Society of Medical and Paediatric Oncology. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Pvt. Ltd.
A-12, 2nd Floor, Sector 2, Noida-201301 UP, India
Abstract
Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) constitutes one of the most common malignancies in the world. The geographic location influences the etiologic factors and site of tumor. Aims and Objectives: The present study was carried out to illustrate the clinicopathologic profiles of HNSCC patients since data regarding these tumors from eastern region of India are scarce. Materials and Methods: A prospective study was undertaken for 2 years in which patients with histologically proven HNSCC were included. The clinicopathologic features of each case were analyzed. Results: A total of 108 cases were included in the study, among which 79 (73.15%) were male and 29 (26.85%) were female. Mean age of the patients was 53.21 (±12.17) years. The most common risk factor was smoking (63 cases, 58.33%) followed by tobacco or betel nut chewing (41 cases, 37.96%). The common patterns of presentation included ulcerated lesion (51 cases, 47.22%), whitish lesion (28 cases, 25.93%), and hoarseness of voice (11 cases, 10.19%). The most common sites involved were buccal mucosa (36 cases, 33.33%) and dorsal surface of the tongue (26 cases, 24.07%). The most common site for exophytic tumors was buccal mucosa (9 out of 23, 39.13%) and that for ulceroproliferative lesions was tongue (9 out of 17, 52.04%). Microscopically, well-differentiated (Grade I) tumors were most common (67 cases, 62.04%) followed by moderately differentiated (Grade II) tumors (38 cases, 35.19%). A statistically significant correlation was obtained between anatomic site and grade of the tumor. Conclusion: Patients of HNSCC from the eastern region of India have distinctive features with regard to macroscopic appearance and microscopic grade of their tumors.
Keywords
Anatomical distribution - demographic pattern - head and neck squamous cell carcinoma - histopathological grade - risk factorsIntroduction
Head and neck cancers (HNCs) are the sixth most common malignancy in the world. Majority of HNCs are squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), and among these, oral cancers account for up to 40% of all malignancies.[1] France, India, and Brazil have the highest age-adjusted rates of HNC and Indian females account for the highest age-adjusted rates of HNC in the world.[2],[3] Anatomical sites affected by HNC varies worldwide. In India, the most common site is oral cavity, whereas pharynx accounts for majority of cases in France,[4] reflecting the influence of exposure to different risk factors in the population.[2],[5] Because of indigenous practice of chewing pan and betel leaf with tobacco, cancers of tongue as well as buccal mucosa are frequent.[6] Prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is influenced by tumor primary site, nodal involvement, tumor thickness, and status of the surgical margins and is greatly influenced by the stage of the disease, especially pathological TNM (pTNM).[7]
A literature search revealed that data regarding distribution in different age groups and sex, anatomic distribution, and clinicopathologic profile of HNSCC are scarce in the eastern region of India. The present study aims to report these features from a series of HNSCC from a referral center in Kolkata, West Bengal.
Materials and Methods
The duration of the present study was 2 years. All patients presented with HNC were screened for histologically proven SCC. These cases were evaluated for inclusion in the present study. Patients having other variants of malignancy, recurrence, metastatic carcinoma from unknown primary site, and lesions diagnosed only by cytological methods were excluded from the study group.
Data regarding sex, age, duration of illness, risk factors, clinical presentation of the lesion, location, and size were obtained. Clinical presentation of the lesions was classified in three groups: ulcers (including plain ulcers, and exophytic ulcerated masses), leukoerythroplakias, and tumors presenting both ulcers and leukoerythroplakic areas.[8] Anatomic location of tumor in the oral cavity was subclassified based on the following sites: buccal mucosa (including buccal sulcus/mucobuccal fold), alveolar mucosa and gingiva (including retromolar area), border of tongue, floor of mouth (with extension to ventral tongue), upper and lower lips, soft palate, and tonsil areas. Histological slides were reviewed for the classification of tumors according to the following grade: well-differentiated (WD), moderately differentiated (MD), and poorly differentiated (PD) tumors according to the WHO criteria.[9] In cases where the tumor was excised by radical surgery, pTNM was performed. Standard statistical methods were applied to analyze these data.
Results
A total of 123 cases were initially evaluated for inclusion in the study. After applying the exclusion criteria, 108 cases were selected as the study population. The anatomic distribution of cases is shown in [Table 1]. Buccal mucosa is the most common region (36 cases, 33.33%) followed by dorsal surface of tongue (26 cases, 24.07%) [Table 1].
Location |
Number of cases (%) |
---|---|
Buccal mucosa |
36 (33.33) |
Dorsal surface of tongue |
26 (24.07) |
Alveolar mucosa/gingiva/retromolar area |
16 (14.81) |
Larynx |
13 (12.04) |
Pharynx |
9 (8.33) |
Floor of mouth |
3 (2.78) |
Ventral surface of tongue |
1 (0.93) |
Palate |
1 (0.93) |
Nasal cavity |
2 (1.85) |
Lower lip |
1 (0.93) |
Total |
108 (100.00) |
History of smoking was obtained in 63 (58.33%) cases and tobacco/beetle nut chewing in 41 (37.96%) cases. Consumption of alcohol was noted in 45 (41.67%) cases. No addition of these substances was noted in 21 cases (19.44%). Clinically, the most common presentation was ulcerated lesion (51 cases, 47.22%) followed by whitish lesion or mass (28 cases, 25.93%) and hoarseness of voice (11 cases, 10.19%). On examination, anemia was noted in 29 (26.85%) cases and palpable regional lymph node was detected in 18 (16.67%) cases.
Clinically, duration of symptoms in most cases (60.19%) was <6>1 year [Table 3]. Most common clinical appearance of tumors was ulcer with leukoerythroplakia (39.81%) followed by ulcerated lesions (27.78%).
Parameters |
Number of cases (%) |
---|---|
Duration of symptoms |
|
<6> |
65 (60.19) |
6-12 months |
32 (29.63) |
>12 months |
11 (10.19) |
Predominant clinical appearance of tumors Ulcer |
30 (27.78) |
Ulcer with leukoerythroplakia |
43 (39.81) |
Exophytic mass |
28 (25.93) |
Leukoerythroplakia |
7 (6.51) |
Number of cases (%) |
|
Tumor differentiation (n=108) |
|
Grade I well differentiated |
67 (62.04) |
Grade II moderately differentiated |
38 (35.19) |
Grade III poorly differentiated |
3 (2.78) |
Specimens of radical surgery (n=45) |
|
Greatest dimension of tumor |
|
2 cm or less |
12 (26.67) |
2-4 cm |
18 (40.00) |
>2 cm |
15 (33.33) |
Tumor depth |
|
<1> |
17 (37.78) |
1-2 cm |
16 (35.56) |
>2 cm |
12 (26.67) |
Status of surgical resection margins |
|
Involved |
16 (35.56) |
Uninvolved |
29 (64.44) |
Lymph node metastasis |
|
Involved |
10 (22.22) |
Not involved |
35 (77.78) |
Lymphovascular invasion |
7 (15.56) |
Perineural invasion |
5 (11.11) |
Bone/cartilage invasion |
2 (4.44) |
Dysplasia at margin |
12 (26.67) |
Tumor features |
Buccal mucosa |
Dorsal surface of Tongue |
Alveolar mucosa/gingiva/retromolar area/lower lip |
Larynx |
Pharynx |
Others |
Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Macroscopic appearance (n=62) |
23 |
17 |
10 |
7 |
3 |
2 |
62 |
Ulcer |
6 |
3 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
18 |
Ulceroproliferative |
7 |
9 |
0 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
24 |
Exophytic |
9 |
3 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
16 |
Infiltrative |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
Total |
|||||||
Microscopic grade (n=108) |
36 |
26 |
16 |
13 |
9 |
8 |
108 |
Grade I |
26 |
17 |
11 |
3 |
5 |
5 |
67 |
Grade II |
10 |
9 |
5 |
9 |
3 |
2 |
38 |
Grade III |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
Parameter |
Microscopic grade |
P |
||
---|---|---|---|---|
Grade I (n=67) |
Grade II (n=38) |
Grade III (n=3) |
||
Age (years) |
||||
<50> |
27 |
13 |
1 |
0.814778 |
50 or more |
40 |
25 |
2 |
|
Anatomic site |
||||
Oral cavity |
56 |
25 |
1 |
0.026487 |
Other sites |
11 |
13 |
2 |
|
Duration (months) |
||||
<6> |
41 |
23 |
1 |
0.627198. |
>6 |
26 |
15 |
2 |
|
Macroscopic appearance |
||||
Ulcer/ulcer with leukoerythroplakia |
46 |
25 |
2 |
0.954941 |
Other lesions |
21 |
13 |
1 |
- Vokes EE, Weichselbaum RR, Lippman SM, Hong WK. Head and neck cancer. N Engl J Med 1993; 328: 184-94
- Sankaranarayanan R, Masuyer E, Swaminathan R, Ferlay J, Whelan S. Head and neck cancer: A global perspective on epidemiology and prognosis. Anticancer Res 1998; 18: 4779-86
- Parkin DM, Whelan SL, Ferlay J, Teppo L, Thomas DB. Cancer Incidence in Five Continents. editors. IARC Scientific Publisheds No. 155 8. Lyon: IARC; 2002
- Coleman M, Estève J, Damiecki P, Arslan A, Renard H. Trends in Cancer Incidence and Mortality. IARC Scientific Publisheds 121. Lyon: International Agency for Research on Cancer; 1993: 27-38
- Menvielle G, Luce D, Goldberg P, Bugel I, Leclerc A. Smoking, alcohol drinking and cancer risk for various sites of the larynx and hypopharynx. A case-control study in France. Eur J Cancer Prev 2004; 13: 165-72
- Thomas G, Hashibe M, Jacob BJ, Ramadas K, Mathew B, Sankaranarayanan R. et al. Risk factors for multiple oral premalignant lesions. Int J Cancer 2003; 107: 285-91
- Noguchi M, Kinjyo H, Kohama GI, Nakamori K. Invasive front in oral squamous cell carcinoma: Image and flow cytometric analysis with clinicopathologic correlation. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2002; 93: 682-7
- Pires FR, Ramos AB, Oliveira JB, Tavares AS, Luz PS, Santos TC. et al. Oral squamous cell carcinoma: Clinicopathological features from 346 cases from a single oral pathology service during an 8-year period. J Appl Oral Sci 2013; 21: 460-7
- Barnes L, Eveson JW, Reichart P, Sidransky D. World Health Organization Classification of Tumors – Pathology & Genetics – Head and Neck Tumors. Lyon: IARC Press; 2005
- Blot WJ, McLaughlin JK, Winn DM, Austin DF, Greenberg RS, Preston-Martin S. et al. Smoking and drinking in relation to oral and pharyngeal cancer. Cancer Res 1988; 48: 3282-7
- Addala L, Pentapati CK, Reddy Thavanati PK, Anjaneyulu V, Sadhnani MD. Risk factor profiles of head and neck cancer patients of Andhra Pradesh, India. Indian J Cancer 2012; 49: 215-9
- Guha N, Boffetta P, Wünsch Filho V, Eluf Neto J, Shangina O, Zaridze D. et al. Oral health and risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck and esophagus: Results of two multicentric case-control studies. Am J Epidemiol 2007; 166: 1159-73
- Kreimer AR, Clifford GM, Boyle P, Franceschi S. Human papillomavirus types in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas worldwide: A systematic review. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2005; 14: 467-75
- Kruse AL, Bredell M, Grätz KW. Oral cancer in men and women: Are there differences?. Oral Maxillofac Surg 2011; 15: 51-5
- Llewellyn CD, Johnson NW, Warnakulasuriya KA. Risk factors for squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity in young people – A comprehensive literature review. Oral Oncol 2001; 37: 401-18
- Johnson NW, Jayasekara P, Amarasinghe AA. Squamous cell carcinoma and precursor lesions of the oral cavity: Epidemiology and aetiology. Periodontol 2000 2011; 57: 19-37
- Shenoi R, Devrukhkar V, Chaudhuri NA, Sharma BK, Sapre SB, Chikhale A. et al. Demographic and clinical profile of oral squamous cell carcinoma patients: A retrospective study. Indian J Cancer 2012; 49: 21-6
- Effiom OA, Adeyemo WL, Omitola OG, Ajayi OF, Emmanuel MM, Gbotolorun OM. et al. Oral squamous cell carcinoma: A clinicopathologic review of 233 cases in Lagos, Nigeria. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2008; 66: 1595-9
Address for correspondence
Publication History
Received: 14 September 2017
Accepted: 21 June 2018
Article published online:
03 June 2021
© 2019. Indian Society of Medical and Paediatric Oncology. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Pvt. Ltd.
A-12, 2nd Floor, Sector 2, Noida-201301 UP, India
- Vokes EE, Weichselbaum RR, Lippman SM, Hong WK. Head and neck cancer. N Engl J Med 1993; 328: 184-94
- Sankaranarayanan R, Masuyer E, Swaminathan R, Ferlay J, Whelan S. Head and neck cancer: A global perspective on epidemiology and prognosis. Anticancer Res 1998; 18: 4779-86
- Parkin DM, Whelan SL, Ferlay J, Teppo L, Thomas DB. Cancer Incidence in Five Continents. editors. IARC Scientific Publisheds No. 155 8. Lyon: IARC; 2002
- Coleman M, Estève J, Damiecki P, Arslan A, Renard H. Trends in Cancer Incidence and Mortality. IARC Scientific Publisheds 121. Lyon: International Agency for Research on Cancer; 1993: 27-38
- Menvielle G, Luce D, Goldberg P, Bugel I, Leclerc A. Smoking, alcohol drinking and cancer risk for various sites of the larynx and hypopharynx. A case-control study in France. Eur J Cancer Prev 2004; 13: 165-72
- Thomas G, Hashibe M, Jacob BJ, Ramadas K, Mathew B, Sankaranarayanan R. et al. Risk factors for multiple oral premalignant lesions. Int J Cancer 2003; 107: 285-91
- Noguchi M, Kinjyo H, Kohama GI, Nakamori K. Invasive front in oral squamous cell carcinoma: Image and flow cytometric analysis with clinicopathologic correlation. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2002; 93: 682-7
- Pires FR, Ramos AB, Oliveira JB, Tavares AS, Luz PS, Santos TC. et al. Oral squamous cell carcinoma: Clinicopathological features from 346 cases from a single oral pathology service during an 8-year period. J Appl Oral Sci 2013; 21: 460-7
- Barnes L, Eveson JW, Reichart P, Sidransky D. World Health Organization Classification of Tumors – Pathology & Genetics – Head and Neck Tumors. Lyon: IARC Press; 2005
- Blot WJ, McLaughlin JK, Winn DM, Austin DF, Greenberg RS, Preston-Martin S. et al. Smoking and drinking in relation to oral and pharyngeal cancer. Cancer Res 1988; 48: 3282-7
- Addala L, Pentapati CK, Reddy Thavanati PK, Anjaneyulu V, Sadhnani MD. Risk factor profiles of head and neck cancer patients of Andhra Pradesh, India. Indian J Cancer 2012; 49: 215-9
- Guha N, Boffetta P, Wünsch Filho V, Eluf Neto J, Shangina O, Zaridze D. et al. Oral health and risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck and esophagus: Results of two multicentric case-control studies. Am J Epidemiol 2007; 166: 1159-73
- Kreimer AR, Clifford GM, Boyle P, Franceschi S. Human papillomavirus types in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas worldwide: A systematic review. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2005; 14: 467-75
- Kruse AL, Bredell M, Grätz KW. Oral cancer in men and women: Are there differences?. Oral Maxillofac Surg 2011; 15: 51-5
- Llewellyn CD, Johnson NW, Warnakulasuriya KA. Risk factors for squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity in young people – A comprehensive literature review. Oral Oncol 2001; 37: 401-18
- Johnson NW, Jayasekara P, Amarasinghe AA. Squamous cell carcinoma and precursor lesions of the oral cavity: Epidemiology and aetiology. Periodontol 2000 2011; 57: 19-37
- Shenoi R, Devrukhkar V, Chaudhuri NA, Sharma BK, Sapre SB, Chikhale A. et al. Demographic and clinical profile of oral squamous cell carcinoma patients: A retrospective study. Indian J Cancer 2012; 49: 21-6
- Effiom OA, Adeyemo WL, Omitola OG, Ajayi OF, Emmanuel MM, Gbotolorun OM. et al. Oral squamous cell carcinoma: A clinicopathologic review of 233 cases in Lagos, Nigeria. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2008; 66: 1595-9