Oral cavity cancer in patients from the department of head and neck surgery – chair and otorhinolaryngology service of the Hospital de Clínicas – National University of Asunción

Abstract

Introduction: The oral cavity is continuously exposed to inhaled and ingested carcinogens (mainly tobacco and alcohol), and therefore it is the most common site for the origin of neoplasms in the head and neck region. Methods: A descriptive, retrospective, observational study of non-probabilistic sampling of consecutive cases was carried out. Adult patients with a clinical and pathological diagnosis of oral cavity cancer were included. Results: A series of 17 cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma was included, 13 men (76%) and 4 women (24%). The age of the individuals ranged between 32 and 73 years. 65% of the patients were smokers, and 71% reported consumption of alcoholic beverages. The tongue was the most frequent tumor location, 71% were in stage IV, and with a moderate degree of histological differentiation. Conclusion: Most of the patients in this study were males between 50 and 70 years of age. A high percentage of patients reported smoking, and an even higher percentage of alcohol consumption. The most frequently affected subsite is the tongue, in advanced stages and a moderate degree of differentiation.