Prevalence and Factors Associated with Oral Pre-Malignant Lesions in Northeast Thailand

Narongrit Juntanong, Pallop Siewchaisakul, Peter Bradshaw, Patravoot Vatanasapt, Sam Li Sheng Chen, Amy Ming Fang Yen, Tony Hsiu Hsi Chen, Supannee Promthet

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Oral cavity cancer (OCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. No studies have reported on the prevalence and epidemiologic risk factors of oral premalignant lesions (OPLs) in Thailand. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of OPLs and associated factors in Roi Et Province, Thailand.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: To investigate the prevalence of OPLs, a cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in which 2,300 subjects over 40 years of age were recruited and screened for the prevalence of OPLs. To identify factors associated with OPLs, a matched case-control study was used in which the subjects were 102 cases with OPL and 102 matched controls without OPLs. The studies were conducted in Roi Et Province during the period 1 February, 2014, to 30 April, 2014, and the data were collected by the use of a structured interview questionnaire and by extraction of information from medical records. Data analyses involved the use of descriptive statistics, McNemar's test, and conditional logistic regression.

RESULTS: The overall prevalence of OPLs was 3.8%, and no-one was diagnosed with more than one type of OPL. The factors found to be associated with a statistically significant higher risk of an OPL were betel nut chewing, smoking, and alcohol consumption. The associations with these factors were strong, especially for betel nut chewing and smoking.

CONCLUSIONS: The habits of betel nut chewing, smoking, and alcohol use are confirmed as factors associated with OPLs in a population of Roi Et Province, Thailand. Campaigns to reduce such risk healthy behaviour are needed, but whether any actual decrease will prevent the eventual transformation of an OPL into an OCC remains an open question.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)4175-4179
Number of pages5
JournalAsian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP
Volume17
Issue number8
Publication statusPublished - 2016

Keywords

  • Oral cavity cancer
  • Oral pre-malignant lesions
  • Thailand

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Epidemiology
  • Oncology
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Cancer Research

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