O carcinoma bucal é o sexto tipo mais comum de câncer no mundo e o sétimo no Brasil, onde ocorre a maior incidência da América Latina. A sobrevida média de aproximadamente cinco anos permanece como uma das menores entre os principais cânceres, justificando estudos que auxiliem no delineamento de estratégias de prevenção. Este estudo objetivou avaliar em uma amostra de 91 pacientes portadores de carcinomas bucais características epidemiológicas; fatores de risco, clínicos e histopatológicos. A média de idade foi de 58,62 ± 10,46 anos e a razão sexual de 6,6:1,0 (79 homens e 12 mulheres). A etnia euro-descendente foi predominante com 79 (86,8%) pacientes. Oitenta e cinco (93,4%) indivíduos eram tabagistas e 70 (76,9%) etilistas. As localizações anatômicas prevalentes foram: 27 tumores (29,7%) de língua; 18 (19,8%) de assoalho; 11(12,1%) de orofaringe e 11 (12,1%) de mucosa. Cinqüenta e sete (62,6%) pacientes apresentaram os linfonodos comprometidos e três apresentaram (3,3%) metástases à distância. A maioria dos pacientes (43,2%) recebeu tratamento cirúrgico e radioterápico. Com exceção da proporção sexual, nossos dados concordam com os freqüentemente descritos para portadores de carcinomas bucais.

Oral carcinoma is the sixth most frequent type of cancer in the world and the seventh most common in Brazil (the country with the highest incidence in Latin America). Mean five-year survival remains one of the lowest among the main cancers, thus justifying studies that contribute to the development of preventive strategies. The aim of this study was to compare the epidemiological, clinical, and histological characteristics of 91 patients with oral carcinoma. Mean age was 58.62 ± 10.46 years, and male-to-female ratio was 6.6:1.0 (79 men and 12 women). European descendants predominated with 79 patients (86.8%). Eighty-five individuals (93.4%) smoked and 70 (76.9%) consumed alcohol regularly. Anatomical distribution of tumors was: 27 (29.7%) tongue; 18 (19.8%) floor of mouth; 11 (12.1%) oropharynx; and 11 (12.1%) oral mucosa. Fifty-seven patients (62.6%) presented lymph node involvement and three (3.3%) had distant metastases. Surgery and radiotherapy were used in 43.2% of patients. With the exception of the male/female ratio (which was higher), our data are consistent with previous studies on oral carcinoma patients.

O carcinoma bucal é o sexto tipo mais comum de câncer no mundo e o sétimo no Brasil, onde ocorre a maior incidência da América Latina. A sobrevida média de aproximadamente cinco anos permanece como uma das menores entre os principais cânceres, justificando estudos que auxiliem no delineamento de estratégias de prevenção. Este estudo objetivou avaliar em uma amostra de 91 pacientes portadores de carcinomas bucais características epidemiológicas; fatores de risco, clínicos e histopatológicos. A média de idade foi de 58,62 ± 10,46 anos e a razão sexual de 6,6:1,0 (79 homens e 12 mulheres). A etnia euro-descendente foi predominante com 79 (86,8%) pacientes. Oitenta e cinco (93,4%) indivíduos eram tabagistas e 70 (76,9%) etilistas. As localizações anatômicas prevalentes foram: 27 tumores (29,7%) de língua; 18 (19,8%) de assoalho; 11(12,1%) de orofaringe e 11 (12,1%) de mucosa. Cinqüenta e sete (62,6%) pacientes apresentaram os linfonodos comprometidos e três apresentaram (3,3%) metástases à distância. A maioria dos pacientes (43,2%) recebeu tratamento cirúrgico e radioterápico. Com exceção da proporção sexual, nossos dados concordam com os freqüentemente descritos para portadores de carcinomas bucais.

Oral carcinoma is the sixth most frequent type of cancer in the world and the seventh most common in Brazil (the country with the highest incidence in Latin America). Mean five-year survival remains one of the lowest among the main cancers, thus justifying studies that contribute to the development of preventive strategies. The aim of this study was to compare the epidemiological, clinical, and histological characteristics of 91 patients with oral carcinoma. Mean age was 58.62 ± 10.46 years, and male-to-female ratio was 6.6:1.0 (79 men and 12 women). European descendants predominated with 79 patients (86.8%). Eighty-five individuals (93.4%) smoked and 70 (76.9%) consumed alcohol regularly. Anatomical distribution of tumors was: 27 (29.7%) tongue; 18 (19.8%) floor of mouth; 11 (12.1%) oropharynx; and 11 (12.1%) oral mucosa. Fifty-seven patients (62.6%) presented lymph node involvement and three (3.3%) had distant metastases. Surgery and radiotherapy were used in 43.2% of patients. With the exception of the male/female ratio (which was higher), our data are consistent with previous studies on oral carcinoma patients.

The glutathione S-transferase mu (GSTM1) gene which acts during phase II of xenobiotic metabolism is polymorphic in the population, being absent in about 30-50% of individuals depending on the ethnic group from which they come. Epidemiological studies suggest that individuals who are homozygous null at the GSTM1 locus may have an increased risk of developing various types of neoplastic disease. We used the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to estimate the frequency of GSTM1 in 176 healthy individuals from the north of Paraná (Brazilian state), the null genotype being detected in 48.86% of these individuals. The Student’s t-test was used to evaluate the frequency of the glutathione S-transferase null genotype in relation to age, gender and smoking habit and no significant differences were found. In our sample there were 142 individuals of Caucasian origin, of which 47.88% had the null genotype. When applied to the Caucasian group only (n = 142) the Student’s t-test again showed no significant differences between the frequency of the GSTM1 null genotype and age, gender and smoking habit.