Carcinoma Arising in the Background of Oral Submucous Fibrosis

INTRODUCTION: Oral submucous fibrosis is a chronic debilitating condition with potential for malignant transformation. Squamous cell carcinoma arising from a background of oral submucous fibrosis presents clinically as a distinct disease due to different etiopathogenesis. METHODOLOGY: This prospective case series describes thirty cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) alongside oral submucous fibrosis (OSF). Patient clinical data were recorded including type and duration of habits, site of tumor, size, histological grading and nodal status. RESULTS: A total of 76% cases were reported in males and 24% in females. A total of 73.3% cases had a history of use of gutka of which 16% used only arecanut or gutka while the remaining used gutka along with smoking and quid habits and 26.7% cases smoked tobacco products or used smokeless tobacco. Primary site of presentation was buccal mucosa and seven cases of carcinoma at retromolar trigone (RMT) altogether accounting for 66% of the cases. 53.3% cases reported were advanced tumour T4 lesions, 10% T3 lesion, 30% reported as T2 lesions and 6.7% T1 lesion. 55% of cases showed nodal involvement of different level and 46.5% cases were N0. About 60% of cases were histologically well differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. CONCLUSION: Carcinoma arising from a background of oral submucous fibrosis follows a distinct clinical presentation. Malignant transformation occurs in younger age group and with better histological grading.