Oral cancer in North Western Ireland: a sixteen year retrospective study.
OBJECTIVE
To provide baseline data on oral cancer epidemiology in North Western Ireland.


BACKGROUND
Information on oral cancer in the Republic of Ireland is limited. Few studies have been conducted and, frequently, studies from other countries have been used to estimate the extent of the problem.


METHODS
A retrospective study of records identified oral cancer patients who presented between 1973 and 1988. Only squamous cells carcinomas of covering epithelium were included (ICD-9, 140-146 and 149).


RESULTS
The commonest site was lip (81%). Lip lesions tended to be smaller than intraoral lesions and less likely to show lymph node involvement. Among lip cancer patients, there was a marked predominance of men and of outdoor workers.


CONCLUSIONS
Intraoral cancer incidences in North Western Ireland approximate those in other parts of Ireland and many other Western countries. Lip cancer incidences are higher than those in other parts of Ireland and many Western countries. Survival rates are similar to those found in other studies.
Dental Department, Lifford Hospital, Lifford, Ireland.
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Ormsby
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008048:Lip Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution