Association of Demographic Details with the Onset of Precancerous Lesions in Bengaluru Population

Abstract

Oral cancer is among the top three types of cancers in India. In India, 90-95 % of the oral cancers is squamous cell carcinoma. The mortality due to oral cancer is increasing in a high rate in India. There are many contributing factors which increase the incidence of oral pre-cancer and cancer. Therefore, this study analyzed the correlation between various demographic characters with the onset of oral lesions (leukoplakia). In the present study, total of 80 subjects with oral leukoplakia were included from Indian Cancer Society organized camps in different region of Bangalore city. The respondent was personally interviewed and collected the data. The demographic data includes education, alcohol addiction, tobacco intake, sexual activity etc. Interestingly, the result obtained after statistically test found positive correlation between demographic details and oral leukoplakia. Socioeconomic status, brushing number, alcohol, tobacco, poor oral hygiene (p<0.01) emerge out as a major contributing risk factors for the pathogenesis of oral lesions.The demographic characteristics of Bangalore population concurred with oral pre-cancer (leukoplakia) were found to be smokeless tobacco, alcohol, poor hygiene, and caffeinated drinks. Hence, awareness among the population about the resulted contributing factors would help to reduce the occurrence of oral carcinogenesis.