Clinical pattern and prevalence of oral cancer in patient suffering with oral submucous fibrosis: An institutional experience

Introduction: Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) is a potentially malignant disorder which occurs due to dysregulation of collagen metabolism. It is also known as Atrophica idiopathica mucosae oris and is characterized by a burning sensation in the oral cavity, reduced mouth opening, burning sensation, and decreased tongue movement. Clinically there is blanching of oral mucosa due to the deposition of excessive collagen fibers. Aims: This study aims to estimate the prevalence of oral cancer in a cohort of patients suffering from OSMF and to understand the clinical pattern of oral cancer in these patients. Materials and Methods: It was a unicentric cross-sectional study conducted between January 2022 and January 2023. The study was conducted on 630 patients with clinical presentation of OSMF. Informed consent was obtained from the patient before the start of the study. Results: Data obtained were tabulated and Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 22 was used for analysis. Of 630 subjects, 176 subjects (27.83%) had oral cancer with OSMF. The most common site of the oral cancer was found to be buccal mucosa that was followed by lateral border of the tongue and retromolar trigone. Conclusion: OSMF is a potentially malignant disorder and use of areca nut with smokeless tobacco is the main cause. The use of areca nut and smokeless tobacco must be regularized