Evaluation of accuracy between habit history and incidence of oral squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract

Introduction: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common cancers that affect the human population worldwide. The global incidence rate of OSCC is 47% which shows a recurrence of 30%. Objective: The aim of this study is to analyze the accuracy between risk factors and the incidence of OSCC. Methods: This retrospective study includes the subjects reported to the Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology in Saveetha Dental College between 2019-2020. Data on age, gender, lesion site, habit profile, diagnosis, and treatment were recorded and subjected to Pearson’s Chi-square analysis for correlation between habits and other variables. Results: A total of n=77 cases were included. Male: Female ratio is 3.5:1 with maximum cases in the 5th and 6th decades of life. Totally 63.3% reported OSCC without habits and 36.7% reported OSCC with habits pan/betel quid chewing was the most frequently reported habit and buccal mucosa was the common site. Conclusion: Our study showed that the incidence of OSCC is more among the male population in the 4th-6th decade with at least one predisposing oral habit and identified buccal mucosa to be the most commonly involved site. This study reflects the association of oral habits with the incidence and severity of the disease which quantifies the need for awareness for habit ces-sation among the public.