Habits and Reasons of Delayed Presentation of Patients With Oral Cancer at a Tertiary Care Hospital of a Third World Country

Abstract

Background: Oral cancer accounts for nearly one-fifth of all cancers in males and one-tenth in females globally. Squamous cell carcinoma accounts for 90% of the oral cancer. The occurrence rate of oral cancer is higher in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan and India. In South Asia oral cancer constitutes 25% of all new cancer reported among males. The estimated incidence of oral cancer in Pakistan is 14.7%. Methods: A cross sectional observational study was carried out at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi with a sample of 145 patients with pathological diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma of oral cavity. Patients were characterized into early stage (I and II) and advanced stage (III and IV), according to AJCC classification of tumors (2010). Data entry and analysis was carried out on SPSS 19. Qualitative data was expressed in percentages and results were accessed by Chi squared test. Results: The mean age was recorded 47.87 ± 12.50 years. Males participants were 63.4% and 36.6% females were incorporated in our study. More than half came with the Stage IV. 35.2% of participants became aware of their initial symptom before 6 months before pursuing any doctor. 83% patients presented with noteworthy habit of Tobacco or Chalia chewing. Bulk of the participants stated that they would have presented before if they had knowledge about the disease. 85% thought that increasing awareness of oral cancer through media may decrease the time in seeking help from qualified doctor. Conclusion: The study concludes that most of the participants presented late to the professional because of lack of knowledge about signs and symptoms of oral malignancy.

Oral Health Status and Treatment Needs of Police Personnel in Karachi

“…The majority of the participants don't bother to visit the dentist. Around 21% males and 19% of the females never visited the dentist in their life and more than 45% males and 47% females visited dentists just once in the last five or more years, several studies conducted in Pakistan reported that even knowing the oral problems, patient delays and skipped their visits to dentists (30)(31)(32). Lack of awareness, low socioeconomic status, anxiety, fear, uneasy access, myths, etc.…”

Genetic profiles of different ethnicities living in Karachi as regards to tobacco-metabolizing enzyme systems and the risk of oral cancer

“…Other habits included cigarette smoking (30.34%), Naswar (8.96%) and alcohol (5.51%). 6 It is now a well-documented fact that certain individuals, by virtue of their genotype for xenobiotic-metabolising-enzymes (XMEs) involved in tobacco metabolism, are more susceptible to cancer formation when exposed to tobacco products. 7 This could possibly explain why only a small number of persons among those addicted to tobacco develop cancer in their lifetime.…”

Relation of salivary MMP-8 with oral submucous fibrosis and oral squamous cell carcinoma: a cross sectional analytical study

“… 3 OSCC is considered risky due to its potential for metastasis and the probability of it being discovered at an advanced stage as it progresses to the cervical lymph nodes without pain. 4 OSCC emerges from oral mucosal disorders, which poses enhanced risk of developing oral malignancies. Among these oral potentially malignant disorders, oral submucous fibrous (OSF) has a higher tendency (2.3%–7.6%) of transforming to OSCC as compared with other premalignant disorders.…”