Table 1 Clinical presentation
Variables | Responses | Frequency | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
Previous lesions | Burn scars | 50 | 89.3 |
| Â | Penile human bite scar | 1 | 1.8 |
| Â | Pressure sores | 1 | 1.8 |
| Â | Chronic non healing ulcer | 1 | 1.8 |
| Â | Chronic osteomyelitis | 1 | 1.8 |
| Â | Diabetic foot ulcer | 1 | 1.8 |
| Â | Fournier's gangrene | 1 | 1.8 |
Duration of illness (years) | < 1 | 13 | 23.2 |
| Â | 1-5 | 27 | 48.2 |
| Â | > 5 | 16 | 28.6 |
Reason for late presentation | Financial problem | 34 | 60.7 |
| Â | Treated at peripheral hospitals | 32 | 57.1 |
| Â | Treated by traditional healers | 31 | 55.4 |
| Â | Lack of money for transport | 31 | 55.4 |
| Â | Self medication at home | 12 | 21.4 |
| Â | No reasons documented | 12 | 21.4 |
Site of the lesion | Lower limb | 24 | 42.9 |
| Â | Head & neck | 13 | 23.2 |
| Â | Upper limb | 12 | 21.4 |
| Â | Trunk | 4 | 7.1 |
| Â | Genitalia | 2 | 3.6 |
Symptoms | Increasing pain | 52 | 92.9 |
| Â | Foul smelling pus discharge | 50 | 89.3 |
| Â | Haemorrhage | 36 | 64.3 |
| Â | Increasing discharge | 35 | 62.5 |
| Â | Increasing tumor size | 30 | 53.6 |
Tumor type | Exophylic | 27 | 48.2 |
| Â | Infiltrative | 29 | 51.8 |
Tumor size | Less than 5 cm diameter | 8 | 14.3 |
| Â | 5 cm or more diameter | 48 | 85.7 |
Metastasis at the time of diagnosis | Lymph node metastasis | 18 | 26.9 |
| Â | Distant metastasis | 15 | 32.1 |
| Â | No evidence of metastasis | 25 | 44.6 |