Prevalence and Patterns of Head and Neck Cancers Among Patients Attending an Otorhinolaryngology Clinic at a Private Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: A Six-Year Retrospective Study (2018–2023)

Abstract

Background: Head and neck cancer (HNC) ranks among the most prevalent cancers globally, with a rising incidence particularly noted in resource-constrained settings. However, data on HNC in developing nations such as Tanzania remain limited. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and distribution patterns of head and neck cancers among patients attending an otorhinolaryngology clinic at a private hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania between 2018 and 2023.
Methods. This retrospective study included all patients who attended the otorhinolaryngology clinic at a private hospital in Dar es Salaam Tanzania, between January 2018 and December 2023.
Results: Between January 2018 and December 2023, a total of 20,198 patients attended the otorhinolaryngology clinic. Of these, 9,163 (45.4%) were males and 11,035 (54.6%) were females. Twenty-six patients had histologically confirmed head and neck cancers, corresponding to an overall prevalence of 0.13%. Among these cases, males were more frequently affected, accounting for 15 (57.7%) cases, and the majority of patients were in the 61 to 80-year age group, 12 (46.2%). The most reported symptoms were nasal obstruction and epistaxis, each occurring in 11 (42.3%) patients, which were mainly associated with nasopharyngeal and sinonasal cancers. The nasopharynx was the most involved site, 7 (26.9%), whereas the submandibular gland was the least affected, 1 (3.8%). Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) was the predominant histological type, representing 16 (61.5%) cases.
Conclusion: Head and neck cancers were relatively uncommon among patients attending the otorhinolaryngology clinic at this private hospital in Dar es Salaam. The disease showed male predominance and was more frequently observed in older adults. The low prevalence of head and neck cancers in the private hospital reflects limited access to specialized care and specific referral patterns for head and neck cancer patients, especially in resource-constrained settings. This suggests the need for multicenter studies, population-based cancer registries, and stronger surveillance systems to capture the true burden of head and neck cancers in Tanzania. The study was however limited by its small sample size and single-centre setting in a private hospital, which may limit the generalisability of the findings. Additionally, because it was a retrospective study, some demographic information from participants may have been missing or incomplete.