Orofacial cancers in the West of Iran: A 10-year study

Somayyeh Azimi, Marc Tennant, Estie Kruger, Jamileh Bigom Taheri, Marziye Sehatpour, Babak Rezaei

Journal of Orofacial Sciences 2016 8(2):123-127

Background: Orofacial cancer remains a substantial life-threatening disease in developing countries. Late diagnosis and treatment still lead to many avoidable deaths. The differences in incidence and prevalence between different geographical and ethnic groups remain an important issue for service planning and international action against cancer. Methods: In this retrospective study, cancer of the orofacial region for the 10-year period (April 2002–March 2012) was evaluated. Age, sex, histopathological type, and the primary site of tumor were recorded according to the International Classification of disease for Oncology. Descriptive analyses were used to describe basic features, means (±standard deviation) were reported, and appropriate tests of significance were used. Results: Squamous cell carcinoma was the most common malignancy (55.8%) followed by mucoepidermoid carcinoma (9.4%). The male to female ratio was 5:4 and the average age was 63 years. The most common site was lower lip (22%), followed by tongue (15%) and parotid salivary gland (13%). Conclusion: This 10-year retrospective study analyzed frequency of orofacial malignancies. Considering the difference in incidence and mortality of head and neck cancer in less developed versus more developed regions, this kind of research in various population provides better understanding of cancer for global programming in terms of prevention, detection, and treatment.

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