title: Descriptive epidemiology of oral neoplasms in Sudan 1970-1985 and the role of toombak.
abstract: Data from 1,916 cases of oral neoplasms occurring in the Sudan in a 16-year period, from January 1970 to December 1985, were retrieved and analysed. The study revealed a relatively high frequency of oral neoplasms in comparison with neighbouring countries. In this study, squamous-cell carcinoma was the most common oral malignancy (66.5%), followed by tumours of the salivary gland (14.7%), neoplasms of nonodontogenic and non-epithelial origin (9.6%) and odontogenic neoplasms (8.6%). Men had a higher frequency than women. The older age group of both genders showed a relatively high frequency of squamous-cell carcinoma. Among northern Sudanese there was a high rate of squamous-cell carcinoma, while southern Sudanese showed a high rate of odontogenic and salivary-gland neoplasms. The use of toombak has been stated to play a major role in the aetiology of oral squamous-cell carcinoma in the Sudan, and is suspected to be associated with neoplasms of the salivary glands.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, University of Khartoum, Sudan.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Idris
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: B I
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Mukhtar
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Gadir
authors.forename: E I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: el-Beshir
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D010947:Plants, Toxic; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D013397:Sudan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014030:Tobacco, Smokeless / Q000009:adverse effects*