Clinical and epidemiological characterization of squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue

Abstract

Introduction: Oral cancer represents 2% of all cancers and almost 30% of head and neck tumors. Cancers of the tongue, both of its mobile part and its base, are the most common neoplasms of the oral cavity.

Objective: To characterize from the clinical and epidemiological point of view squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue.

Method: A descriptive, retrospective, cross-sectional study was carried out in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue, treated at the Maxillofacial Service of the "Celia Sánchez Manduley" Clinical Surgical Teaching Hospital, in the period from January 2015 to December 2019. The variables studied were: age group, sex, risk factors, clinical forms, anatomical location and the histological degree of differentiation.

Results: The age group between 61 and 80 years (45,3 %) and the male sex (69,8 %) prevailed. The main risk factors were smoking (88,7 %) and alcoholism (69,8 %), the most affected anatomical location was the edges of the tongue (39,6 %), the most frequent clinical forms were the erythematous spot and whitish, with 30,2 % and 22,6 % respectively. The degree of differentiation was well differentiated (45,3 %).

Conclusions: The high incidence and prevalence of squamous cell carcinoma in the oral cavity is observed, mainly in the tongue, in patients over 60 years of age, the predominant risk factors are smoking and alcoholism, the edge of the tongue is the most affected, erythematous and whitish spots are the most frequent clinical form, well-differentiated carcinoma predominated.