Epidemiologic and histologic study of oral cancer and leukoplakia among 50,915 villagers in India

Abstract

The paper presents the results of an epidemiologic house-to-house survey of oral cancer and lcukoplakia among 50,915 adult villagers in 4 states of India which were selected according to various types of chewing and smoking habits. Twenty-six oral cancer cases were found in the survey. The prevalence of leukoplakia ranged from 0.2 to 4.9%. There was a predominance of men. Leukoplakias were already observed in the 15- to 24-year age group, and a considerable number were in the 25- to 34-year age group. Intra-oral locations of the leukoplakias were found to vary within the 4 states depending upon the chewing and smoking habits prevailing. The leukoplakias were analyzed with regard to intra-oral locatios and correlation with habits. Special habits like hookli smoking and reverse smoking are associated with leukoplakias on the labial mucosa and on the palate, respectively. The histologic analysis of biopsies from 723 leukoplakias showed variations in the type of hyperkeratosis which may depend upon habits. The prevalence of epithelial atypia ranged from 3.0% to 12.4% in the 4 states. Epithelial atypia was seen in 8.4% of homogeneous leukoplakias but in 59.1% of speckled leukoplakias.