Incidence and clinical and epidemiological characteristic of nasopharynx carcinoma in Cantabria in 2014

Introduction and Objective: The objective of this study was to describe the clinic-epidemiological characteristics of the nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Cantabria (Spain) and to compare it with previous studies performed. Material and methods: A retrospective study of nasopharyngeal carcinomas diagnosed in Marques de Valdecilla Hospital (Santander, Cantabria, Spain) between 2004 and 2015 was made, determining the following variables: age, occupation, toxics, outcome symptoms, treatment and clinical evolution. Results: 45 patients with ages range between 35 and 85 were diagnosed of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, with an incidence of 0,71/100000H/year. 38 were men (84,5%) and 7 were women (15,6%). The fifties decade was the most frequent period of diagnosis. Otological symptoms were the main clinical outcome (40%), followed by cervical adenopathy (26,6%). Undifferentiated carcinoma was the most common histological type (68,9%), being diagnosed in advanced stages. Conclusions: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is an uncommon tumour in Cantabria being more frequent in males in their fifties. Its clinical presentation, often nonspecific, results in advanced stages diagnose. The most common histological type (undifferentiated carcinoma).