Epidemiology of oral and pharyngeal cancers: A retrospective study in ‎Kermanshah, Iran

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and relative frequency of oral and pharyngeal cancers in Kermanshah, Iran, from March ۱۹۹۳ until March ۲۰۰۶.METHODS: The data used in this epidemiologic study were extracted directly from pathology records registered in ۱۲ (all) public and private pathology centers of Kermanshah province during the ۱۳-year study period. The medical data of ۱۳,۳۲۳ cases of cancer were studied.RESULTS: During the ۱۳-year period of this study, ۳۵۰ new malignant cases occurred in the oral cavity and pharynx. ۲۴۷ (۷۰%) were men and ۱۰۳ (۳۰%) were women. The mean age for oral and pharyngeal cancers was ۵۷ [standard deviation (SD) = ۱۷.۰۹] with male to female ratio ۲.۳۹:۱. The most common oral and pharyngeal cancers were squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) with ۲۸۳ patients. ۲۱۱ (۷۴.۶%) of the patients were men and ۷۲ (۲۵.۴%) of them were women; the mean age of SCC was ۶۰ (SD = ۱۶) with male to female ratio ۲.۹۳:۱. The two most common sites of involvement were lips [۱۶۶ (۴۷.۵%)] and tongue [۲۵ (۷.۱۴%)]. The overall incidence rate of oral and pharyngeal cancers was ۱.۴۷ per ۱۰۰۰۰۰ populations.CONCLUSION: In summary, the incidence risk of oral and pharyngeal cancers in people living in Kermanshah province is similar to the most other provinces of Iran. However, this study showed that the rank of oral and pharyngeal cancers among males (۹th most common cancer) is low when compared to other regions of Iran and other countries such as India, Australia, and France.

Keywords:

Epidemiology , oral cancer , pharyngeal cancer , Iran