SKIN-CANCER OF THE HEAD AND NECK IN ZARIA, NIGERIA

This 12-year review looked at the clinical presentation and predisposi ng factors of head and neck cancer treated at the Ahmadu Bello Univers ity Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Nigeria, from 1978 to 1989, There were 1 74 patients with skin cancer in the head and neck region out of a tota l of 721 skin cancer patients. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most co mmon tumour type, Unlike in other sites where chronic ulcer and scars were the main predisposing factors, most of the head and neck skin can cers arose without any obvious underlying predisposing lesion, However , 14 of the 174 patients had albinism, a well-known risk factor for sk in cancer in black Africans, The head and neck skin cancer patients us ually presented late with advanced fungating lesions beyond curative s urgery.