title: Emerging Patterns in Clinico-pathological spectrum of Oral Cancers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To correlate the clinico-pathological aspects of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) with risk factors to determine the present status and variations in the profile.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred patients of OSCC and one hundred age and sex matched controls were selected. Detailed demographic data, regarding age, gender, marital status, ethnicity, religion, socio-economic status along with habits, betel quid, tobacco chewing / smoking, alcohol and dietary habits was recorded. Detailed oral examination was carried out for the site of involvement and associated pathology. Histological grade was determined on microscopic examination of Hemotoxylin & Eosin (H&E) stained slides. One hundred age and sex matched controls were also evaluated for this study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ages of patients ranged from 25 to 80 years with mean age being 47.84 ± 12.18(SD). Maximum cases were detected in the fifth decade. Male: Female ratio was 2.8:1. Age in controls ranged from 22 -73 with male to female ratio being 3.54:1. In patients, most tumors were seen in buccal cavity (54%) followed by tongue (24%). Histologically 60% cases were well differentiated. Strong association with tobacco smoking and chewing, betel quid and its substitutes was detected, with smoking being more prevalent in males and betel quid in females. Significantly less number of controls were observed to be involved in these habits, with almost half having no such addictions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present clinico-pathological status of oral cancer still emphasizes primary prevention by creating awareness against the devastating effects of tobacco use, betel quid, its substitutes and areca nut, which can go a long way in decreasing the incidence of this disfiguring and lethal condition.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Saadia Akram, Department of Pathology, Sindh Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Saadia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akram
authors.affiliation: Dr. Talat Mirza, Professor, Department of Pathology, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Talat
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mirza
authors.affiliation: Dr. M Aamir Mirza, Department of Pathology, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aamir Mirza
authors.affiliation: Masood Qureshi, Professor, Department of Physiology, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Masood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qureshi
keywords: Betel Quid; Betel quid substitutes; Oral Squamous cell carcinoma; Oral cancer; Tobacco