Beenish Nisar Ahmed, Muhammad Waqas Nisar Ahmed, Mehwish Nisar.
Racial Disparities in Patients with Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Cancers Presenting in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan.
Ann Jinnah Sindh Med Uni Jan ;3(2):70-4.

Background: Oral cavity squamous cell cancer is the third most commonly occurring malignancy among head and neck cancers worldwide. Different factors contribute to the development of this disease including cultural habits like chewing betel leaf with betel nuts, using addictive substances like manpuri, gutka, niswar, smoking, which are strongly associated with lifestyles practiced by different races. Therefore, the disease outcome may be the result of several factors identified as cultural influences and socioeconomic circumstances of people belonging to different races. Methodology: This prospective study was conducted at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (one of the major and the biggest tertiary care centers of Karachi, Pakistan). Samples of 208 proven cases of oral cavity squamous cell cancers were collected from the department of E.N.T. Surgery and Otorhinolaryngology. Oral cavity squamous cell cancers were matched on clinical characteristics, age, site of lesion, stage, race, socioeconomic status, and addiction. Results: Mean age of the patients was 45±10.26 years ranging from 25 to 65 years. Among the patients who presented with oral cavity squamous cell cancer at JPMC, Indo-Aryan population was found to have the highest incidence. Majority of patients presented in stage 3 involving oral mucosal non-healing ulcers. Smoking and betel nut with betel leaf chewing were common addictions. Patients presented in third and fifth decades of life and were socioeconomically poor. Conclusion: Differences in disease outcome may be attributed to a combination of racial factors, tumour stages, socioeconomic status, and access to health care. Key words: Squamous cell cancer, race, socioeconomic, oral cavity

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