Increased prevalence of oral potentially malignant lesions among Croatian War invalids, a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: The main objective of this study was to investigate the frequency and type of oral pathological changes, oral subjective symptoms and the knowledge about oral cancer in the population of Croatian military invalids from the Homeland War. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 102 Croatian military invalids from the Homeland War participated in the study. Data were collected on the presence of subjective symptoms in the oral cavity, and a detailed clinical examination of the oral mucosa was performed. RESULTS: Almost half of the participants, 46 (45.1%), reported being smokers, and 64 (62.7%) consumed alcohol daily. Subjective symptoms in the oral cavity were reported by 25 (24.5%) of them. Pathological changes were found in 35 (34.3%) participants, of whom 14 (13.7%) had potentially malignant changes. Pathohistological findings confirmed the diagnosis of a potentially malignant lesion in 10 subjects and indicated the presence of moderate dysplasia in two, carcinoma in situ in one, and invasive carcinoma in one. CONCLUSIONS: Participants didn’t show adequate knowledge of risk factors. Forty-one changes in the oral cavity were found in 35 subjects, and as many as 14 were potentially malignant. According to the participants, most dentists and family physicians don’t thoroughly and regularly examine their patients’ oral mucosa. Key words:Oral cancer, oral lichen planus, leukoplakia, erythroplakia, actinic cheilitis, Croatian Homeland War invalids.