Relationship between diagnostic delay and stage of disease in oral cancer patients

ABSTRACT

In spite of the belief that cancer mortality can be reduced if lesions are detected, diagnosed and treated at an early stage. There is a concurrent increase in advanced head and neck cancer patients, because of delayed in medical consultations. The objective of this study is to determine an association of staging and diagnostic delay in oral cancer patients. Descriptive study. This study was conducted at the Dow Diagnostic and Research Laboratory [DDRL] of the Ojha campus, Dow University of Health Sciences from Jan 2009 to April 2011. The information is collected from the record files of DDRL of OJHA campus DUHS. Two hundred and seventy nine patients with an oral cancer are included in the study. With descriptive statistics, OSCCC is mostly found at 4[th], 5[th] and 6[th] decades of life, with diagnostic delay of >/= 6 months. OSCC is mostly seen in males than in females whereas; Well differentiated squamous cell carcinoma is a common finding in both males and females, with the largest lesion being size 12 cm in size. Buccal mucosa is a commonly affected site in both genders. OSCC is mostly seen in males than in females. Our findings highlight the importance of early detection and systemized collection of patients verbal statements regarding their initial symptoms of oral cancer site in both genders. OSCC is mostly seen in males than in females. Our findings highlight the importance of early detection and systemized collection of patients verbal statements regarding their initial symptoms of oral cancer