Epidemiology of Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Response to Different Hazardous Chewing Causes in Lahore, Pakistan-a Unicenter study

Abstract

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) being the world’s most prevailing and frightening cancerousdisorder lacks the sufficient data in Pakistan despite of its higher magnitude and prevalence. Objective:This study was specifically designed and conducted with the aim to identify the frequency of this disorderalong with causative factors in past three years in a tertiary care hospital of Lahore, Pakistan. Methods:Epidemiological study was conducted using retrospective randomized method and all pre-requisites werefilled. The clinical profiles of patients were collected from Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery Department ofPathology, Mayo Hospital Lahore. Patients who had undergone treatment for OSCC were contacted andinterviewed for information about demographic regions, previous history of malignancy, disease onset,chewing habits, exposure to pesticides, industrial exposure to metals etc. and all particulars were not andcompiled on questionnaire. Results: A total of 54 patients from different districts of Punjab participatedin the study. Percentages for each possible causative chewing habit were calculated and 87.50 % ofpopulation was found addicted to different habits. Genetic factor might have contributed in remaining fordevelopment of OSCC. Conclusions: Informative data provided in this study will be helpful to be used bythe government and private health agencies while designing and planning management of oral healthproblems and allocating health budgets in focusing this issue.