The unequal burden related to the risk of oral cancer in the different regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVES

To estimate the burden and risk of oral cancer in Saudi Arabia and highlight differences between regions.

METHODS

Using the National Cancer Registry Saudi Arabia, data was collated on numbers of cases of oral cancer (1996-1998) by site, age group, gender and region, plus relative frequencies of all cancer cases. Using Globocan, age-standardised rate (ASR) of oral cancer in Saudi Arabia was compared with five other neighbouring countries in the region.

RESULTS

A total of 208 lip, mouth and tongue cancers for men and 209 for women were reported to the registry during this period. ASR of oral cancer was 1.81/100,000 for males and 2.13/100,000 for females. It was ranked 15th most common cancer for males and 11th for females, with a ratio of 1:1 and median age at diagnosis of 62 years. Very wide regional disparities in the incidence of oral cancer were found, with an almost thirty-fold difference in ASR between the regions with the lowest and highest rates. Jizan Region had the highest ASR (6.2/100,000 for males and 9.82/100,000 for females). Here oral cancer was ranked 2nd for males and 1st for females, with a ratio of 0.73:1 and the median age at diagnosis for females was lower. The third highest ASR (4.48/100,000) was found in females in Najran. In these two high incidence regions oral cancer was commonly reported on the gingiva.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall the burden and risk of oral cancer in Saudi Arabia are not large. However, cancer of the oral cavity is a significant public health problem for the residents of Jizan and the women of Najran. Saudi females in both these regions have a higher burden of oral cancer.