A study shows that the low survival rate among oral cancer patients was because of late diagnosis.
The study analysing 36 years of cancer data revealed a rising incidence and a worsening death rate for oral cancer patients in Queensland. Head of Dentistry at JCU and Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Sciences Peter Thomson, was part of a team that examined data for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) cases diagnosed between 1982 and 2018 in Queensland, covering almost 9,900 patients. SCC is a lethal and deforming disease with a rising incidence.
“Although this cancer is largely preventable by eliminating risky tobacco and alcohol behaviour, five-year survival rates remain around 50 percent.”says Prof Thomson, identifying late diagnosis as the primary reason for the low five-year survival rate. Oral cancer is frequently detected at an advanced stage, leading to more challenging treatment and decreased chances of survival.
The study aimed to identify the Queensland population at risk of developing oral SCC. It found that the mean age at diagnosis was 64.55 years and that over the 36-year study period, the number of diagnoses increased by a factor of 4.49, while the number of deaths increased by a factor of 19.14. "It is noteworthy that 59 pc of the individuals in the dataset had passed away, which is concerning, despite the lack of information on the exact cause of death," says Prof Thomson.
He noted that low socio-economic status, regional and remote location, and Indigenous status are commonly associated with head and neck cancer, and additionally identified tobacco and alcohol misuse, poor diet and nutrition, and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection as the most relevant factors in the Queensland population, requiring further investigation.
Studies are currently underway to refine the definition of the socio-demographic and geographic profile of the high-risk population in Queensland. "Early diagnosis of Oral SCC improves clinical outcomes and long-term patient survival, but there are no Oral Cancer Screening Programmes in Australia. Profiling the at-risk population will allow us to target identified groups with information and possibly earlier intervention," he says.
