OBJECTIVE

To highlight the presentation of antral cancers in Nigerians.

METHODS

Hospital records of all patients with a histologically diagnosed antral cancer who presented at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (a tertiary referral centre) over a 16 year period were analysed.

RESULTS

28.7% of orofacial cancers and 12.6% of head and neck cancers were located in the antrum. 54.1% were squamous cell carcinoma, 27.4% were minor mucus gland carcinoma and 14.8% were mesenchymal cancers. Males were more frequently affected (ratio 1.7 to 1) and were relatively younger (peak age = 4th decade) than females (peak age = 6th decade). Males who had squamous cell carcinoma (x = 47.5 +/- 18.8 years) were relatively younger than their female counterparts (x = 57.2 +/- 13.8 years). But females with minor mucus gland carcinoma were relatively younger (x = 34.2 +/- 19.5 years) than males (x = 49.1 +/- 17.9 years). All patients had facial swelling at presentation and the most frequent initial symptom was toothache (36.2%). Fifty-two percent had prior treatment and the most common was an extraction of a molar tooth (50%). Two-thirds of the patients were of low socio-economic status.

CONCLUSIONS

Antral cancer constituted sizeable proportion of orofacial and head and neck cancers in Nigerians. Clinicians need to maintain a high index of suspicion in cases of maxillary molar toothache or mobility of obscure aetiology. Predisposing aetiologic factors of this disease peculiar to our environment need to be further investigated.