Objective: To describe the histological patterns, and to evaluate the long-term outcomes of non surgical treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in patients registered at Hadhramout National Cancer Centre (HNCC) in Mukalla City, in Hadhramout Province, Yemen.
Methods: Non-randomized descriptive cancer registrybased study of patients with different WHO types of nasopharyngeal cancer and different non surgical treatment modality. Data was obtained from the medical records of patients seen and followed-up at HNCC. Data was collected using Can-Reg 10 computerized program and statistical analysis done using SPSS version-17 software program.
Results: The study included 109 patients with NPC, males were 71(65.14%) and females were 38(34.86%), with a male to female ratio of 2:1. The mean age was 43 (range10-89 years). The majority of the patients were from Hadhramout 85(77.98%), while 24(22.2%) patients were from outside Hadhramout. The most common type of NPC seen according WHO classification was type III 82(75.24%) patients, followed by type II 15(13.76%) patients, and lastly type I 12(11%). The type III tumors of nasopharynx was the predominant type seen in younger patients. Cervical nodal metastasis was found in 86(78.9%) patients, N0 neck was observed in 23(21.1%) patients. The highest annual incidence was observed in 2011 and 2012; fourteen females and 31 males. Patients who underwent curative radiotherapy were 14(12.85%), chemotherapy were 33(30.28%), and concurrent chemoradiotherapy were 62 (56.88%) as initial cancer treatment. Deaths during follow-up period due to local recurrences of NPCs after radiotherapy, chemotherapy and chemoradiotherapy were 1(0.92%), 5(4.59%), 11(10%) respectively. The period of follow-up was 72 months. Two patients were lost from follow-up.
Conclusion: Our results reveal that WHO-NPC type III is the most common type seen in patients, and the predominant type in young males who presented from Hadhramout regions. Treatment outcome was best in irradiated group followed by chemoradiotherapy and lastly chemotherapy.