Presentation of Histological Types and Common Sites of Oral Cancers in Lower Sindh

OBJECTIVES: To determine the frequency of histological types and common sites of oral cancer in our population of lower Sindh. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive study. SETTING: Patients reporting at Liaquat University Hospital, Dental Out-patient Department, Jamshoro and Hyderabad Sindh Pakistan, over a period of one year from January 2007 to December 2007. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Biopsy specimens were obtained from patients who were suspected for oral cancer on clinical grounds. All specimens were processed routinely and stained by Hematoxylin and Eosin method. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Histopathological analysis was carried out to confirm the diagnosis and to evaluate the histological types. RESULTS: Mean age of oral cancer patients was 46.28 years. It was more common in males. Most common site was cheek mucosa. Histopathological analysis showed 47 (44.3%) patients having well-differentiated invasive squamous cell carcinoma while 24 (22.6%) patients had moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. Twelve (11.4%) patients had microinvasive carcinoma and 11 (10.5%) specimen revealed mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Verrucous carcinoma was observed in 06 (5.7%) patients and 03 (2.8%) patients showed poorly differentiated anaplastic carcinoma. The frequency of carcinoma in situ, neuroendocrine tumor and carcinosarcoma was 1 (0.9%) each. CONCLUSION: This study gives a detailed account of the histological types of oral cancer along with their frequency and reports two rare malignant tumors occurring in oral cavity. Oral cancer occurred at a younger age with male preponderance. A higher frequency of mucoepidermoid carcinoma was observed.