Epidemiological, Clinical and Lifestyle Profile of Patients Diagnosed with Oral Cancer in Senegal

Oral cavity cancers (OCC) are malignant tumours that develop from tissues of buccal cavities. The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiological, clinical and lifestyle profile of patients diagnosed with OCC in Senegal. A multicentre cross-sectional study of 45 patients was conducted. Patients aged 18 years and older with histologically confirmed lesions of the oral cavity were included in the study. Data were collected on socio-demographic characteristics, clinical and para-clinical aspects, and lifestyle habits of the OCC patients. A survey directly administered to patients was used. Data entry was performed with Epi 7.2 software and descriptive analysis with Stata 17/IC. More than half (55.56%) of the patients were female. The average age was 53.09±16.80 years. The hospital university Aristide Le Dantec accounted for 55.56% of the study participants. More than 4/5 of the patients had come on their own to a consultation for an objective clinical symptomatology. The average size of lesions was 6.66±3.3 centimetres. More than 2/3 were diagnosed in the advanced stage. Less than 40% of patients had a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Nearly 65% admitted to having oral sexual activity. The data from this study show that the profile of patients diagnosed with OCC is 50 years old, predominantly female, and not a consumer of known risk factors.