ASSOCIATION OF ALCOHOL, SMOKING, AND BETEL QUID CHEWING WITH ORAL CANCER - A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

Abstract

Oral Cancer is one of the most common life threatening diseases in India. Tobacco smoking, betel quid chewing and alcohol drinking are risk factors for Oral Cancer. Observational studies unanimously report that Oral Cancer risk in smoking-drinking-betel quid chewing exposed subjects is exceptionally high. Therefore, this study was aimed at evaluating the association between smoking, alcohol consumption and betel quid chewing with Oral Cancer in a retrospective manner. In this study conducted from June 2019 to March 2020, the clinical records of patients with Oral Cancer were evaluated. Data regarding age, gender, presence of habits were obtained from the records of the private dental college. Chi-square test was used to determine correlation between variables, while the Chi-square test for trends was used to assess the frequency of Oral Cancer patients with smoking, alcohol consumption and betel quid chewing habit. Oral Cancer was found prevalent among patients who reported with the habit of betel quid chewing (67.7%) than tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption habits. The mean age group of occurrence was reported to be 51-70 years (46.7%) with higher incidence among males (83.3%). The results of this study show that, although betel quid chewing was a major cause for development of Oral Cancer. Tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption has a modifying effect in the development of Oral Cancer. Therefore, habitual cigarette smokers, alcohol consumers, and betel quid chewers have a higher risk of contracting Oral Cancer and should receive oral screening regularly so potential Oral Cancer can be detected as early as possible.