ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to provide a baseline data on the pattern of oral squamous cell carcinoma in Karachi and to find a correlation between the clinical patterns of oral squamous cell carcinoma with age and site. The retrospective cross sectional study was conducted. The patients of oral squamous cell carcinoma were examined from January 2007- December 2010 at oral maxillofacial department, Darul Sehat Hospital Karachi. All retrievable case files were obtained and necessary data were extracted regarding age, gender, site and histological type. All cases were clinically examined and provisionally diagnosed. Biopsy was taken from the lesions and tissues were fixed in 10% buffered formalin and submitted to histopathologic department for histological confirmation. 62% of males and 38% females were diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma. 30% were observed in age group of 41-50 years old. 45% of squamous cell carcinoma were on buccal mucosa. Correlation between the 2 variables i.e., site to histological type and age to histological type was found to be statistically significant. Level of significance was set at 0.05. However, the strength of association was weak between the selected variables. OSCC was most common of all oral malignancies of which most were in the older age group. Serious thought should be given to prevention and early detection