HISTOPATHOLOGICAL SPECTRUM OF ORAL CAVITY LESIONS

BACKGROUND Oral cancer is a common problem in the Indian region, and it is one of top three cancers in our country. Many epidemiological studies have concluded that excess intake of alcohol and tobacco leads to increased risk of oral cavity cancers. In addition to this, in India there is a high prevalence of chewing tobacco mixtures. The oral cavity represents the entrance to the upper aerodigestive tract, which begins at the lips and ends at the anterior surface of the faucial arch. It is lined by squamous epithelium with interspersed minor salivary glands. The oral cavity is continuously exposed to inhaled and consumed carcinogens and thus it is the most common site for the origin of malignant epithelial neoplasms in the head and neck region. Known carcinogens in the oral cavity include those present in tobacco, alcohol, and betel nuts. The association of human papilloma virus with oral cancer is not as well established as in oropharyngeal cancers. Primary tumours of oral cavity may arise from the surface epithelium, minor salivary glands, or submucosal soft tissues. More than 90% of malignant tumours in oral cavity are squamous cell carcinomas, and the remainder are minor salivary gland carcinomas and other rare tumours. Most patients with cancer in oral cavity are men, although the incidence of tongue cancer in women in the United States has progressively increased from 15% in the years 1927-1934 to 4% in the years 1988-1997. In the western world, the tongue and the floor of the mouth are the most common sites of origin for primary squamous cell carcinoma in the oral cavity. However, the retromolar trigone and buccal mucosa are the most frequently encountered primary sites in the area of world where chewing of tobacco and betel nuts is common.' We wanted to study the different types of oral cavity lesions. METHODS This is a prospective study performed in pathology department of GMC Jammu, a tertiary care hospital in Jammu for a duration of one year, from January 2018 to January 2019. A total of 114 cases were studied. RESULTS A total of 103 cases were studied. Age of patients varied from 6 to 75 years, out of which males were affected more often than females with M: F ratio of 4:1. The most common site involved was buccal mucosa (30.1%), followed by tongue (28%). Out of 103 cases 77 cases (74.7%) were malignant and 26 cases (25.2%) were benign. Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common lesion accounting for 67.9% cases of all the lesions studied. CONCLUSIONS Oral cavity lesions have a vast spectrum of lesions ranging from tumour like lesions to benign and malignant tumours. Our study concluded that squamous cell carcinoma was the most common malignant lesion of oral cavity. Histopathology is an important tool in the diagnosis and management.