A retrospective study of incidence of bone metastasis in head and neck cancer

Abstract

The incidence of bone metastasis in head and neck Squamous cell carcinoma is very uncommon. This retrospective study was done to identify the frequency, clinical presentation, and the clinical course of the metastatic disease to bone from head and neck primary. Out of 624 patients of head and neck cancers seen in our clinic 6 patients developed metastasis to solitary or multiple bones during the course of the disease. Postoperative patients had multiple bone involvement whereas others had solitary bone involvement. Main bones involved were parietal bone of skull, shaft of humerus and femur, sacrum, and ribs. All the patients had survival of few months only after developing metastasis. Improvement in technology has resulted in improved results in advanced head and neck cancer patients; hence measures should be taken for complete responders to diagnose this metastasis early and treat them appropriately.