The incidence of oral and oropharyngeal cancer in South Africa for the five year period 1997-2001

Abstract

The National Cancer Registry (NCR) of South Africa publishes pathology-based cancer incidence in the country and is the main cancer data source. The data published by the NCR have been used extensively in the development of the draft national guidelines for cancer prevention and control as well as for cancer research. The list of contributing pathology laboratories is fairly inclusive. As far as Oral Cancer is concerned, the Department of Oral Pathology, University of Limpopo, has however not submitted data to the NCR. It is therefore reasonable to assume that because of this, a large proportion of histologically diagnosed oral cancers are not reflected in the NCR. Materials and methods: Data from the National Cancer Registry and the University of Limpopo, Department of Oral Pathology for the five years 1997-2001 were combined and then filtered for sites in the oral and oropharyngeal region. Age- Standardised Incidence Rates (ASIR) and the Cumulative Lifetime Risk (LR) for males and females in the different population groups were determined. Conclusion: It is possible that the total ASIR for oral and oropharyngeal cancer has increased in South Africa. The incidence of oral and oropharyngeal cancer in individuals below the age of 45 years in South Africa is higher than the global average.