CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL STUDY OF CARCINOMA ORAL CAVITY & PATTERN OF METASTASIS- EXPERIENCE IN A TERTIARY CARE CENTRE

Abstract

Oral cancer (code 145.9, ICD 9) encompasses all malignancies originating in oral tissues & it is a major health problem in many parts of the world. Although incidence is relatively low in the western countries, in the Indian subcontinent & other parts of Asia it remains one of the commonest cancers. The study was conducted on the patients attending the ENT & HEAD-NECK SURGERY OPD at the INSTITUTE OF OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY & HEAD-NECK SURGERY, IPGME&R, Kolkata during a period of 1 year from 1st March 2019 to 29th February 2020. Buccal mucosa was the commonest site & most cases presented in late stage with cervical lymph node metastases entailing poorer prognosis. People should be made aware of the warning symptoms, need for early diagnosis & treatment options available through IEC (information, education & communication programmes) in order to provide better treatment outcomes, improved long term prognosis & thereby reducing the morbidity & mortality of people at large.