Epidemiological profile of oral cancer: casuistry of 30 years

Abstract

Aim: The epidemiological study contributes to a better understanding of the disease’s progression. The aim of this study was to survey and analyze the epidemiological aspects of oral cancer, noting the prevalence by gender, age, ethnicity, smoking habits and alcohol consumption, lesion location and histologic type of cancer. Materials and methods: It was performed a quantitative analysis of 195 histopathological reports of oral cancer through descriptive, retrospective and cross-sectional research from the database of Laboratory of Oral Pathology Faodo / UFMS between 1981-2010. Results: It was observed that 78.5 % of patients had oral squamous cell carcinoma. In 70.8 % of cases prevailed males, in order of 2.42 men for each woman. The age ranged from 3 to 91 years and the highest incidence was 40 to 69 years. Leucoderma ethnicity prevailed with 45.6 % of patients. About habits, 49.7 % of the reports had no information, but among the reports that had information 23.1 % reported being heavy drinkers and smokers and 21.5 % were smokers only. Tongue was the anatomical location in 22.1 % of cases. Conclusions: Oral cancer cases are increasing in females, but still prevailing more frequently in male subjects, above the fourth decade of life, with tongue as prevalent anatomical location. Most common malignancy was squamous cell carcinoma. Harmful habits such as smoking, alcohol or their association still remains as predisposing agents for this pathological change.