Lag time in diagnosis of head and neck malignancies

ABSTRACT

Delay in diagnosis of head and neck cancer was studied in a series of 832 cases of head and neck malignancies. Lag time was calculated as the interval between the onset of symptoms and the definite diagnosis of malignancy. The mean lag time of all head neck malignant tumors was 8.9 weeks. The type of tumors affected lag time by virtue of its site, clinical course and rate of growth. Laryngeal tumors constituting 40% of the series had a mean lag time of 8.5 weeks. Thyroid tumors [33% of the cases] had a mean lag time of 11 weeks. Maxillary tumors showed the longest values with a mean of 12.3 weeks. Salivary and oral cavity neoplasms displayed the shortest values with a mean lag time of 4.4 and 5.7 weeks, respectively