Clinical-demographic characteristics of laryngeal cancer at a third level of care

BACKGROUND. Cancer is currently one of the greatest challenges in public health. In Mexico, cancer has remained in second or third place, as one of the leading causes of death.

OBJECTIVE. To describe the clinical and demographic characteristics of laryngeal cancer.

MATERIAL AND METHODS. We performed a retrospective, analytical, observational, cross-sectional study with the review of records in patients with laryngeal cancer in a period of 5 years. The variables age, sex, state of origin, occupation, clinical data were taken. A descriptive analysis of the variables and inferential statistics were carried out with Chi2 and Fisher’s exact test in search of association between tobacco and alcohol, occupation and stages of cancer. A p-value <.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS. From January 2015 to December 2019, 62 records were selected, the male sex was involved in a 5:1 ratio, with an average age of 67 years. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most common pathological finding, the most frequent sub-site was glottis, stages III-IV present with greater constancy, dysphonia the most common symptom. Smoking alone or combined with alcoholism was associated with more advanced steps.

CONCLUSION. Male in the seventh decade of life who presents with dysphonia of long evolution, of day labor occupation and history of smoking with or without alcoholism, is the clinical pattern of a patient with glottic squamous cell carcinoma in advanced stage.