ABSTRACT
To evaluate the spectrum of malignant tumors of head and neck region. Design: A department-based retrospective study. Place and Duration of Study: It was carried out at the Department of Pathology, Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore, over a period of two years [1997-1999]. Subject and The data of total 375 neoplastic lesions of both the sexes between 8-70 years of age was collected and compared with the findings reported from centers in other parts of the country. Among the total 375 cases of neoplastic lesions, 148 were benign whereas 227 proved to be malignant histologically in 155 male and 72 female patients. Squamous cell carcinoma [SCC] was the most frequently encountered histological category [45.8%] followed by lymphoma [14.5%], basal cell carcinoma [10.5%], carcinoma thyroid [10.5%] and salivary gland tumors [8.80%]. These were followed by infrequently encountered tumors including nasopharyngeal carcinoma [n=5], small blue round cell tumors [n=3], undifferentiated carcinoma [n=3], retinoblastoma [n=2] and transitional carcinoma nose [n=1]. The anatomical regions involved with this tumor were larynx [53.5% of all SCC] followed by pharynx [18.7%], tongue [10.71%], oral cavity [4.4%], metastasis [5.3%] and skin [2.60%].The frequency of the various malignancies was found comparable to the findings reported from other centres in Punjab and SCC was found to be the most common cause of malignancy