Clinicopathological\Characteristics and Related Risk Factors of Oral Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Oral cancer is the most prevalent and globally fifteenth-most reported cancer worldwide, as per International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Several forms of oral malignancies are recognized clinically and pathologically, although oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) account for 90% of all oral cancers. Aim: To find out whether socioeconomic factors and clinicopathological traits may play a role in the development of oral squamous cell carcimoma (OSCC). Methodology: A total of 197 individuals were incorporated in the study who were diagnosed and treated in the ENT department. A systematic questionnaire was used to collect clinicopathological and socioeconomic data. Descriptive analysis was used for socioeconomic status (SES) and demographics, whereas regression analysis was used to establish a link between SES and tobacco chewing practices, tumor size, and stage. Study design: A cross-sectional study. Place and Duration: This study was conducted at Jhalawan Medical College Khuzdar Pakistan from January 2021 to December 2021. Results: We found a higher prevalence of males, -+++-++-and the average age of patients with OSCC was 43.6 ± 12.2 years. Most of the individuals had a low SES status, and 76.6% chewed tobacco and related substances regularly. Tobacco chewing behaviors or consumption of Smoke Less Tobacco (SLTs) products were substantially connected with gender (male) and SES (p<0.05). The late-stage presentation of OSCC was strongly linked with middle age, tobacco chewing behaviors, and education (=0.05). Conclusion: Most OSCC cases were male patients in their forties from low socioeconomic backgrounds who had a long history of tobacco chewing practices. Tobaccochewers’ most prevalent tumor site was the buccal mucosa, and the majority had advanced malignancies.