Oral Cancer- The Nigerian Perspective

Abstract

Study background: In our environment, oral cancer is one of the most common lethal diseases encountered in dental practice. It is frequently diagnosed in the late stages because most patients present late in the course of the disease. This may be attributed to their low socioeconomic status, illiteracy, and some traditional beliefs in alternative native therapies. Some authors have reported on oral cancers specifically in their individual geographic settings; however, there is a paucity of reviews on Oral cancers generally in our environment. This study aims to review the prevalence, awareness and clinicopathologic patterns of oral cancers across the different geographic zones in Nigeria. Methods: Information was sourced from journals, electronic data base such as Medline, Pubmed, Elsevier Science Direct and personal research work. Result: Several prevalence rates have been reported in different geopolitical locations in our environment. Orofacial carcinomas were reported mostly in the older age groups while the Orofacial sarcomas were found in the slightly younger age groups. Squamous cell carcinoma was the predominant histopathological type. There is a low level of awareness of these lesions among the low socio-economic groups which makes them present late in our health care facilities hence a poor prognosis. Conclusion: There is a need for increased awareness, advocacy and preventive care and early detection.