Epidemiological Features and Management of Oral Cancer Patients: Experience from a Single Private Comprehensive Cancer Care Center in the State of Odisha

Abstract

Oral cancer is the most common cancer in India. Challenges in the management of oral cancer patients in India include, delay in the presentation with high volume of advanced disease to be handled, affordability of patients and lack economical support especially in the non-governmental institutions and lack of awareness among patients and their relatives. Present study, a retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained data, portrays the epidemiological features and management of patients with oral cancer presented to a private comprehensive cancer care hospital in the state of Odisha, India. A total of 1049 patients were considered for the analyses, managed between January 2014 and December 2016. Among 1049 patients, 20% (n, 215) were females and 80% (n, 834) were males. Mean age among the present cohort of patients was 50 years with age group 40–55 years being most common. All the patients underwent resection with curative intent and a 1 cm gross resection margins with or without bone and skin. Margin negative resection could be achieved in 82% of patients. Nodal involvement was seen in 36% of patients in the final histopathological assessment. Management of oral cancer patients is a major oncological and reconstructive challenge in India due to the advanced nature of disease at presentation. Inspite of socioeconomic constraints, these patients can be managed even in a private cancer centers with optimum outcomes. This is possible through coordinated team efforts.