Oral squamous cell carcinoma: a clinicopathologic review of 233 cases in Lagos, Nigeria.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to present the clinicopathologic characteristics of histologically diagnosed squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity in Lagos, Nigeria, with a view toward analyzing the age, gender, site distribution, and histological differentiation.


METHODS
All cases that were histologically diagnosed as SCC of the oral cavity between January 1995 and December 2005 were retrieved from the records of the Department of Oral Pathology and Biology, Lagos University Teaching Hospital and the Oral Pathology Service, Lagos State General Hospitals. All the cases were subjected to analysis of age, gender, site of occurrence, symptoms at presentation, and histological differentiation of tumors.


RESULTS
Oral SCC constituted 10.8% (n = 233) of the 5,124 biopsy specimens obtained in all of the centers during the study period. The mean age (+/- standard deviation) of patients at presentation was 45.3 +/- 19.6 years (range, 3 to 86 years), with a male:female ratio of 1.4:1; 40% of these patients were under age 40 years. Peak incidence was found in the 20 to 29-year and 40 to 49-year age groups. Males were significantly younger than females (P = .00). Poorly differentiated SCC was the most common subtype (47.6%), followed by well-differentiated (32.6%) and moderately differentiated (19.7%) subtypes. The mandibular gingiva was the most commonly affected site (31.8%), followed by the maxillary gingiva (23.3%) and tongue (17.6%). The least commonly affected site was the floor of the mouth.


CONCLUSIONS
Oral SCC is most common in the mandibular gingiva and in males in our environment, with 40% of cases occurring in patients under age 40 years. The poorly differentiated subtype is the most common histological differentiation.
Effiom
Olajumoke Ajibola
OA
Department of Oral Pathology and Biology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria. jumokeffiom@yahoo.com
Adeyemo
Wasiu Lanre
WL
Omitola
Olufemi Gbenga
OG
Ajayi
Oluseyi Folake
OF
Emmanuel
Mubarak M
MM
Gbotolorun
Olalekan Micah
OM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005887:Gingival Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008048:Lip Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000473:pathology; D008437:Maxilla / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009060:Mouth Floor / Q000473:pathology; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology