Perfil Epidemiológico e Sobrevida nos Últimos 5 anos de Pacientes com Câncer de Cabeça e Pescoço: um estudo retrospectivo

Abstract

Introduction: The National Cancer Institute (INCA) highlights cancer as a major global health issue, with approximately 704,000 new cases projected annually in Brazil for the 2023-2025 period, including head and neck cancer (HNC). Objective: To investigate the survival of patients with head and neck cancer treated at a reference University Hospital in the Triângulo Mineiro region from January 2018 to January 2023. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional, retrospective descriptive, and analytical study. Data were collected from electronic and physical medical records of patients with confirmed diagnoses classified under ICD C76.0 – Malignant neoplasm of the head, face, and neck. A structured instrument based on the current literature from the INCA’s 2022 Cancer Incidence Estimate for 2023-2025 was used, including sociodemographic, lifestyle, comorbidity, and clinical variables. Results: A total of 352 head and neck cancer cases were identified between January 2018 and January 2023, resulting in a final sample of 185 medical records, divided into deceased and living patients. A significant proportion of the patients are men over 60 years old, predominant in both groups, with a higher prevalence of white race among the living patients and brown race among the deceased. Most patients received some form of treatment, with high rates of post-treatment complications, especially gastrointestinal and neurological, more frequent among the deceased. Conclusion: The data analysis is consistent with current literature. However, challenges such as the centralization of care and underreporting of HPV infections limit the analysis of its impact. The study highlights the importance of prevention, early diagnosis, and personalized treatments to improve quality of life, emphasizing the crucial role of nursing in monitoring and early intervention of post-treatment complications.