Sinonasal malignancies: incidence and histological distribution in Jamaica, 1973-2007

To determine the histological distribution and trends in incidence of sinonasal malignancies in Jamaica.

Cases of all sinonasal malignancies diagnosed between 1973 and 2007 were extracted from the archives of the Jamaica Cancer Registry. Data recorded for each case included age at diagnosis, sex, year of diagnosis, topography, and histology. Data were used to calculate frequencies, age-specific incidence rates, and age-standardized incidence rates (ASRs). Linear regression analysis was used to determine significance of trends in incidence rates; p values of ≤0.05 were significant.

Sinonasal malignancies were commoner in males (male: female ratio, 1.1:1), and the median ages were 62 (males) and 66 years (females). Most were located in either the maxillary sinus (61.3%) or nasal cavity (24.3%). The commonest histological types were squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (55.9%) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (17.1%), which were predominantly of T-cell immunophenotype, in both the nasal cavity and sinuses. There was no documentation in registry data regarding separation into NK/T and peripheral T-subtypes. The ASRs in males and females were consistently less than 1.5 per 100,000 per year. In males, there was a significant decrease in SCC ASR (p = 0.014) over time.

The age, gender, and anatomical and histological distribution patterns of sinonasal malignancies in Jamaica are similar to those reported internationally, and the low ASRs are in keeping with previous global reports. Broader local immunohistochemistry panels are warranted for further delineation of sinonasal T-cell lymphomas. Investigation into factors contributing to the decreasing incidence of sinonasal SCC is also required.