An epidemiological survey in hospital setup in Lucknow district: A cross-sectional study

INTRODUCTION: Oral cancer is the sixth most common form of cancer reported globally which includes lip, tongue, mouth, and throat. Developing countries face several challenges to identify and remove potential risk factors. Chewing tobacco/pan masala is considered to be the most potential risk factor for oral precancerous lesions and oral cancer. OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical-epidemiological profile of oral cancer cases and potential risk factor associated with it. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is cross-sectional study which includes all major tertiary hospital in Lucknow district. Five hundred and eight cases of oral cancer reported in all major tertiary hospitals in Lucknow district during 2013–2016. STUDY VARIABLE: Clinicoepidemiological characteristics of oral cancer cases. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: percentages, proportions. RESULTS: Out of 508 cases, majority of the subjects included in the study belonged to 18–75 years age group. Reported cases of oral cancer in males were higher as compared to females. Most of the subjects belonged to lower middle and upper lower socioeconomic group. It was found that 199 (39.2%) subjects consumed smokeless tobacco. Buccal mucosa was the common site of oral cancer being present in 50.4% of the subjects. Histopathologically, 256 cases of buccal mucosa, 17 cases of lip, 33 cases of alveolar region, 16 cases of mandible region, 156 cases of tongue region, 7 cases of gingival buccal sulcus region, and 23 cases of palate were diagnosed as oral squamous cell carcinoma. CONCLUSION: In the present study, the most affected site was buccal mucosa (50.4%), tongue (30.7%), and other diagnosis was <10%.