Oral cancer needs more attention: A hospital based study in North India

Abstract

Background: In India oral cancer is an important public health problem accounting for country's 30% cancer burden. The objective of this study was to describe the socio-demographic profile, food habits and substance use pattern of oral cancer patients and to elicit their relation with stage of oral cancer. Methods: It was a hospital based cross-sectional study. Study included histopathological diagnosed oral cancer patients attending General Surgery outpatient department (OPD) of GSVM hospital, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Study period was from August 2011 to July 2014. Pre-tested semi-structured interview schedule was administered to capture socio-demographic factors, food habits and substance use pattern. Results: The male female ratio in this study was 5.2:1. Maximum number of the participants in the study were from the age group of 41 to 50 years (32.2%). Buccal mucosa was the most frequently involved site, accounting for 45.7% cases. Personal habit revealed that most of the participants were tobacco chewers (72.9%). Almost one third of the participants with oral cancer each were in stage 4 (34.2%) and stage 3 (30.7%) of TNM staging. Conclusion: We found a relatively younger population with male predominance presented in the health facility. Later stage of disease presentation is also a matter of concern.

Keywords

• oral cancer
• substance use
• tnm staging