An epidemiologic study of oral cancer and precancerous conditions among 101,761 villagers in Maharashtra, India

Abstract

Abstract In an extensive epidemiologic house‐to‐house survey, undertaken to study oral cancer and precancerous conditions, 101,761 villagers were examined in the Poona district in the Maharashtra state in India. Besides detection of 12 oral cancers, prevalences were established for leukoplakia (0.67%), preleukoplakia (0.86%), and submucous fibrosis (0.03%). The sample was also studied for chewing and smoking habits, which were practised by 54.4% of the individuals. Among males the most common habit was chewing tobacco with lime, whereas the dominating habit among females was the use of mishri (burned tobacco). The strongest association found was between bidi smoking and mixed habits and leukoplakia. Only a few cases of leukoplakia were found among mishri users. Except for submucous fibrosis it was found that prevalence does not depend on sex if tobacco habits are taken into account.