Epidemiologic and Histopathologic Patterns of Head and Neck Cancers: A Single Institution Cohort of 1,702 Patients and a Review of the Literature

Head and neck cancers (HNC) are the third most common cancers worldwide. They are a heterogeneous group of malignant tumors that affect various anatomical sites, including oral cavity, oropharynx, nasopharynx, hypopharynx, larynx, thyroid gland, salivary glands, nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. In Morocco, there is a lack of epidemiological data due to the absence of a national or regional cancer registry. The present study aimed to describe the epidemiological, anatomopathological and evolutionary aspects of HNC in the southern region of Morocco. The study evaluated data from 1702 patients with HNC between 2009 and 2019. Our results showed that the main anatomical site was the nasopharynx (33.02%), and the most common histopathological type was squamous cell carcinoma (55.76%). Our study clearly showed that smoking and poor oral hygiene were the main risk factors for HNC. Thus, the present study should be considered as a first attempt to develop a national cancer registry and to shed light on the evolutionary patterns of HNC epidemiology and histopathology in Morocco.