Riesgo de cáncer oral atribuible al consumo de alcohol y tabaco en la Zona de Salud de Burela (Lugo)
- Pablo I. Varela Centelles
- Amparo Romero Méndez
- Almudena Varela Centelles
- Victoria Rodríguez González
ISSN: 1138-123X
Year of publication: 2007
Volume: 12
Issue: 3
Pages: 177-181
Type: Article
More publications in: RCOE: Revista del Ilustre Consejo General de Colegios de Odontólogos y Estomatólogos de España
Abstract
Background: Wide differences in oral cancer prevalence have been reported that may account for disparities in alcohol and tobacco consumption. Thus, the aim of this study was to ascertain the risk of oral cancer attributable to alcohol and tobacco consumption in a primary health zone. Methods and materials: A case-control study of oral cancer patients treated at the Galician Cancer Centre from 1996 to 2000. Controls: primary care patients, selected by a non-random, consecutive method, from those treated at the Burela Primary Care Clinics in March 2000. Results: The number of case smokers was: 83.8% (n=62), vs. 26.4% (n=32) in the controls (p=0,000). The number of cigarettes consumed per day was (37.43±25.99 vs. 17.67±13) p=0.000. The risk of oral cancer was 5.90 fold among smokers. Out of every 100 oral cancers in smokers, 83 could be attributed to smoking tobacco. The risk of oral cancer attributable to alcohol was 0.23 with a relative risk of 2.04 and the etiological risk fraction was 0.51. Conclusion: The dentist plays a key role in providing information, counselling and help to those patients with risk habits.