Association of oral cancer site with addiction and sociodemographic characteristics: A cross-sectional study conducted at a tertiary health centre.

Abstract

Introduction: In contemporary epidemic scenarios, oral cancer ranks the top 3 cancer types afflicting the Indian population. The primary risk factors include alcohol consumption, tobacco usage in various forms, such as cigarettes and smokeless tobacco, betelnut chewing, and infection with the human papillomavirus. This article submitted in preprint in medRxiv on 20 February 2024.

Materials and methods: This study, conducted at a tertiary healthcare center, adopted a hospital-based cross-sectional approach involving 233 oral cancer patients who sought medical care from January 1 to December 31, 2017.

Results: The findings indicate that males above the age of 60 (40.11%) and females aged between 41 and 50 years (45.45%) were the most affected groups. A statistically significant association (P < 0.05) was found. The primary sites for oral cancer were the cheek (40.36%) and tongue (31.78%). Remarkably, the majority of male patients exhibited a combination of addictions, including tobacco chewing, smoking, and alcohol use, whereas most female patients were exclusively involved in tobacco chewing.

Conclusion: To curb the increasing prevalence of oral cancer in India, it is imperative to implement comprehensive public education initiatives and health promotion strategies aimed at reducing both smoking and alcohol consumption.