Trends in the Incidence of Oral and Oropharyngeal Cancer in Southwest Iran from 2014 to 2019

Background: Oral and oropharyngeal cancer is known as one of the few lethal oral diseases with a great burden associated with a high cost of treatment and rehabilitation, life-long impairments, and a nearly 50% mortality rate; therefore, it should be considered an increasingly severe health and social problem in the world due to its increased incidence. This makes the burden of oral and oropharyngeal cancer very high, with a hefty economic burden. Objectives: The current study was designed and conducted to investigate epidemiological features of oral and oropharyngeal cancer in the Khuzestan province of Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with raw data on cancer incidence obtained from the Khuzestan cancer registry as a subsequent of the Iranian population-based national cancer registry from 2014 to 2019. Recorded cases were standardized by ICD-10 and ICD-O-3 classifications and categorized by gender, age group, diagnosis, etc. The method of diagnosis in this study consisted of four categories. Descriptive data for the frequency and rate of each variable and analyses of associations between variables were conducted using the chi-squared test with a statistical significance of P < 0.05. Results: A total of 941 valid cases were identified in the study period, with a composition of males 675 cases and females 266 cases in total. More than 85% of reported cases were submitted to a database with pathologic reports, verifying a high data validity level. The crude rate in female cases had an upward trend in contrast to the crude rate in males, which shows a downward trend. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most diagnosed malignancy, with 532 cases (55%). Conclusions: The data on oral and oropharyngeal cancer in Khuzestan suggest that the overall incidence of the disease increased, particularly in females and younger age groups in the study period. Concerning increasing trends and the presence of most oral and oropharyngeal cancer cases in the active and young members of society of Khuzestan province of Iran, an extensive program for screening, prevention, and rehabilitation should be prioritized.