title: Retrospective study of biopsied head and neck lesions in a cohort of referral Taiwanese patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A study of the whole spectrum of biopsied head and neck (HN) diseases in Taiwan has not yet been performed. Therefore, the current study aimed to provide updated information about HN lesions in a cohort of referral Taiwanese patients for histopathological examination.
  
  
  METHODS
  HN lesions (2000-2011) in patients with records of age, sex, and histological diagnoses were retrieved from the Oral Pathology Department of the institution. These lesions were classified into four main categories: tumor/tumor-like reactive lesions, cystic/pseudocystic lesions, inflammatory/infective lesions, and others/miscellaneous lesions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 37,210 HN lesions were included in the current study. Most of these lesions were distributed in the group of tumor/tumor-like reactive lesions, followed by the groups of inflammatory/infective lesions, cystic/pseudocystic lesions, and others/miscellaneous lesions. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most common HN lesion, and was also the most frequent malignant lesion among the referral patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was worthy of note that squamous cell carcinoma and oral potentially malignant disorders comprised high percentages of all HN lesions for the present cohort of referral patients.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.forename: Ping-Ho
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jing-Yi
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wen-Chen
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Li-Min
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Hsien-Cheng
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Kun-Yen
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Chung-Ho
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, College of Dental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. k840042@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Yuk-Kwan
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult