title: Appearance, site of occurrence, and physical and clinical characteristics of oral carcinoma in Torino, Italy.
abstract: The appearance, site of occurrence, and selected physical and clinical characteristics are reported for 102 symptomatic carcinomas diagnosed during a 30-month period in Torino, Italy. Erythroplasia was a more significant visual component than leukoplakia, confirming the results of a previous study on asymptomatic cancer in a US population. Floor of the mouth, oral tongue, and soft palate complex accounted for 75% of all sites and 84% of sites if posterior pillar is excluded. Seventeen percent of the lesions were T1, 60% T2, and 23% larger than T2. Size of the lesion was associated with anterior or posterior position and the mobility of the structure, as well as with ulceration, bleeding, and lymphadenopathy (55% of cancers had no nodal involvement). Tumefaction, burning, and pain were the most frequently reported symptoms. About 50% of patients experienced a time lapse between onset of symptoms and final diagnosis of less than 3 months, and this proportion was higher among patients with T1 cancers.
authors.affiliation: Oral and Maxillo-facial Surgery Section, Veterans Administration Medical Center, East Orange, New Jersey 07019.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mashberg
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Merletti
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boffetta
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gandolfo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ozzello
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fracchia
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Terracini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*