Age related changes in clinicopathologic features of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in Iranian patients: An epidemiologic study

Introduction: Clinicopathologic characteristics of oral Squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) affected by age, although it is controversial. In this study the differences in clinicopathological features of OSCC were compared between patients younger and older than 40 years' old. Materials and methods: In this retrospective study the histopathologic records of OSCC patients who underwent surgery in Cancer Institute of Iran during 2005-2015 were retrieved. The demographic and histopathologic features of patients in two groups of younger than 40 and older than 40 years old were recorded and descriptive analysis was used for statistical interpretation between groups. Results: The most cases of OSCC in both groups was registered in males with 14.3% and 85.7% of cases in younger and older than 40, retrospectively. Tongue was the most prevalent anatomic location of OSCC in both groups (39%). Based on clinicopathologic features, most prevalent pathologic degree of OSCC in younger aged patients was moderately differentiated OSCC (14.5%). In patients older than 40, well differentiated OSCC (87.7%) was more prevalent. Conclusion: Based on histopathologic features, the moderately differentiated and well differentiated OSCC were more in younger and older patients than 40, respectively. The finding suggests that OSCC has more malignant feature in young patients.