Patterns of Distant Metastasis in Head and Neck Cancer in a Tertiary Care Centre

Objectives/Hypothesis To find out the frequency and location of distant metastasis in head and neck malignancies. Our study also aims to find out the most common site leading to distant metastasis and the management of these distant metastasis cases. Methods 1558 patients treated for head and neck malignancy between 2017 and 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. The frequency and proportions were used to produce descriptive statistics. Results The highest number of head and neck malignancy cases were reported in the oral cavity which included 943 cases (60.52%). Patients with distant metastasis (M1) accounted for 4.73 percent of all cases (n = 90). Nasopharyngeal malignancy cases showed the highest M1 frequency (29.03%), whereas oral cavity patients had the lowest frequency (2.75%). The most common site of distant metastasis was in the lung (64%) followed by bone (18%) and the liver (11%). CT scan of the neck and thorax was the most commonly used diagnostic modality. The most common histopathological finding was squamous cell carcinoma (85%). Multimodality treatment was employed for most of the detected cases. Conclusion Distant metastasis at presentation is rare in head and neck cancer. The rate of distant metastasis in the present study was 4.73%, with the lung being the most common site. The overall survival of these patients depends on a variety of factors and more studies are needed in this regard.