title: Evidence for a possible anatomical subsite-mediated effect of tobacco in oral potentially malignant disorders and carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the hypothesis that cigarette smokers develop oral potentially malignant disorders or carcinomas in preferential anatomical subsites.
  
  
  METHODS
  The association of smoking habit with the presence of oral lesions in specific anatomical subsites was assessed in 123 patients using the odds ratio analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When compared to all the other subsites, the relative frequency of smokers with lesions was higher in the buccal mucosa and in the floor of the mouth (FOM) (P=0.002 and P=0.005), while it was lower in the tongue (P<0.0005). Smokers were about 7 years younger than non-smokers (P=0.008).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The association of smoking and age suggests that smoking may contribute to generate a field of injury that leads to lesions in shorter periods than other causes. The stronger relationship of smoking with lesions in the buccal mucosa and FOM than in the tongue suggests that tissue characteristics mediate the effects of tobacco.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, Oral Medicine and Oral Oncology Section, University of Turin, Italy. monica.pentenero@unito.it
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pentenero
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Giaretti
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Navone
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rostan
authors.forename: Lavinia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gassino
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Broccoletti
authors.forename: Paolo Giacomo
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Arduino
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Malacarne
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gandolfo
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D002610:Cheek / Q000473:pathology; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D004919:Erythroplasia / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005887:Gingival Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D008048:Lip Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009060:Mouth Floor / Q000473:pathology; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D010157:Palatal Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000473:pathology; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology